


Dark Puzzle

by Bxnafide_Mage



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Service Top, Switching
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-01-04 08:19:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 51,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18339779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bxnafide_Mage/pseuds/Bxnafide_Mage
Summary: He's floating in a sea of black but there's a tiny white dot just below the surface.If only he can reach it.He swims towards it.It's getting bigger.He's almost there.He's there.





	1. Dark Abyss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I’m trying to do this thing where for every chapter I post, there are two more that are pretty much complete and just in need of editing, so how I update is really up to how well my creative juices are flowing and not really about time. 
> 
> Hope that gives you some comfort and encouragement to read because I’ve read some incomplete books and I lose my shit every time I have to wait a bloody year for a new chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy my book though.

_Routine_

The same one each day.

Get out of bed.  
Get to work.  
Get back home.  
And a dash of alcohol on the shitty days. Lots of it.

Today was exceptionally shitty.

He wandered the lonely halls of his family's manor aimlessly for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening, his feet carrying his body where it thought he wanted to go - this time leading him to the room his parents once shared. Though he'd been roaming numerous halls with no real destination in mind, somehow, he'd always conveniently make a turn somewhere, avoiding their room entirely as it was no longer his favorite place to be.  
He didn't know what had drawn him there this time around, maybe because he'd visited everywhere else or maybe it was the influence of the quarter full bottle of vodka he loosely held in his grip or maybe...maybe deep down, he wanted to see if he'd somehow see them in there this time around, smiling and laughing like old times.

He walked into the room hesitantly, the cold chill of dread racing up his spine as he approached the bed, sitting on the edge, extra careful not to mess the sheets up. The room looked just the same as he'd left it a month ago; grand and empty. The thick royal blue and white drapes were drawn shut, encasing the room in a timeless darkness as the enormous bed sat at the center of the room adorned in beautiful blue and white satin sheets, the familiar light dust that had settled on the furniture once more gave the place a gloomy look.

He took note of that, he'll have to clean here soon.

He looked over at the bedside table and a bitter laugh escaped his throat. One that quickly escalated to hysteria.

His parents were in there alright. In fact, they never left. They never leave, not anymore. They sat together, very close yet so very far from each other in their own golden urn, never to touch in the physical world again.

He doubled over as his laughter transitioned once again, this time into heart wrenching sobs. He slid from the edge of the bed onto the plush carpet mat as his body shook violently, screaming and crying at the top of his lungs until he could no longer breathe.  
His sides ached painfully, his lungs and throat burned, his head was pounding and his heart, broken.

His voice echoed and nobody could hear him and that simple fact made his emotions all the more consuming. He felt well and truly alone, clambering at the emotional well and trying his best to get out.  
He sat there wheezing deplorably as his life came crashing down in a big heavy heap onto his chest.

His life was a mess and he couldn't help but recall when things weren't like this. In fact, he can reflect on a time when things were absolutely perfect, happy.

_Happy_.

He was born right inside of this very house to a pair of Egyptian parents. Everything was just as it should be for a child growing up, though he admitted that he did have it a lot better than most, and although his parents were wealthy and busy and had quite a few house keepers and helpers, they always found a way to make time for him, making sure he was well loved and taken care of like any loving parent should.  
He was pretty well grounded, a king in his own right. That warmth should've stuck, carried him through, reminded him that things don't always stay bad because that's what his mom thought him and if he knew anything, anything at all, it's that mom was always right. Right?

But it didn't stick. It couldn't. Because then his mother had gotten sick and that wicked....so fucking wicked cancer took her away from him at the tender age of fifteen, far too young an age for anyone to lose a parent.

And then his life begun to crash and burn and ultimately, so did his optimism and her teachings.

_It didn't fucking stick._

Things were bad and they didn't get better, things really only got worse. In a sense, he could see the irony, his mom was right after all, things didn't stay at just bad but they definitely got worse - devastatingly awful.

After his mom's death, things changed drastically for everyone in his household. His father, usually strong and resilient, didn't take things well, he became so angry; an abusive drunk that fired all the house keepers and drunk and gambled and squandered them into millions of debt, debt that now rested squarely on his tan shoulders. Even though he worked for a decent salary at the museum, a huge chunk of it would be snatched by the debt collectors, leaving him with barely anything to get by.

He had to cope.

The one thing neither parent had intended to teach him.

It stuck.

He was fresh out of tears by the time he rose from his lousy heap on the floor and made his way to the bathroom. He looked over at the tub which was dusty from misuse just like everything else in the room. He approached it, gliding his fingers along the surface as it picked up what dust had settled.

He took another mouthful from his bottle, the burn making him choke and cough, but he let it. He enjoyed it in the sick twisted way that people enjoyed pain.

He was born right in that tub and had quite a few fun baths with his mom right there as she watched him play with bubbles and toys to his little heart's content.

He was happy then.

The thought of selling this house had crossed his mind countless times  - sell the house, clear the debts, put the past behind - but no matter how he tried, he could never bring himself to, he had too many memories in these halls and these rooms that he couldn't bare to think of anyone else replacing them with their own. His eyes stung as a strangled cry clawed at his throat once more but the tears hardly came.

 

He glimpsed out at the urns that stared in his direction almost as though they were regarding him with pity. Almost as though they were welcoming him.

They weren't.

 

_'Maybe you should join them, you'd be free of all the pain and suffering you've had to endure here. You'd be happy again.'_

_Happy_.

 

That word again. It felt foreign to him. How long had it been since he'd truly felt that way? That little voice could be right, maybe he could find happiness if he returned to his parents, if things were as they once had been.

Happiness huh?  
Maybe he can have some.

 

Twenty happy pills washed down with the last of the alcohol ought to get him happy and keep him that way for days to come.

The logic was flawed, borderline awful.  
He knew that.

He didn't care.

He was in too deep, his depression was consuming him, drowning him in it's endless depths and there was no surface to breach and gasp for air, the only release was the sweet sweet escape of eventual death.

He knows this.

He still doesn't care.

Maybe he can be happy. _Finally_.

What's a better recipe for happiness anyway?  
It's called happy pills for a reason and alcohol definitely knew how to have a good time.

He's lying to himself but that's okay.

He's in the tub now, body stretched out in front of him, head back leisurely, eyes closed.

His body is really warm though.

Faucet's on. Water cool.

Better.

He's tired, his eyes begin to close, his bottle begins to slide from his fingers.

It falls to the floor and shatters.

He feels peaceful.

Maybe he should've done this years ago.

He's floating in a sea of black but there's a tiny white dot just below the surface.  
If only he can reach it.

He swims towards it.

It's getting bigger.

He's almost there.

....

He's there.

He peers through.

The expanse is white but the two figures are all he sees.

His mother and father are crying. He's confused.

What's wrong? Shouldn't they be happy to see him?

"What have you done? What have you done!"

His cheek stings.

He's back.

"What the fu-"

A finger is shoved down his throat.

He hurls.

It’s black again   
_________________________________________

 

_Routine_

Not his anyway. He's not one to follow such things. He likes spontaneity.  
Though he doesn't follow a strict routine of his own, he's quite familiar with that of the guy across the street. So when it was eight o'clock and the porch lights hadn't come on, something like worry nagged at him.

He dismissed it.

For the past two years the man across the street would put on his porch lights at eight sharp, whether he was home or not (he still wasn’t sure how he did it. A timer? An app? Anyway, unimportant), and he was almost always at home, so when fifteen minutes had passed and the lights still hadn't been turned on, he knew something was amiss.

He glimpsed through his windows, then at his wristwatch.

8:17 pm

He surveyed the house once again. The car in the driveway and the darkness unchanged.

"Fuck it." He muttered and went over the street. Maybe he forgot or maybe he fell asleep. It could happen.

Though the routine wasn't his exclusively, it still nagged him knowing that it had been broken.

Atem doesn't break routines.

He knocked the door and waited.  
The response: nothing. He knocked again, waited longer and still, nothing. He turned the doorknob and the door was open.

Why's the door open?

He wasn't complaining at this moment as that served to be of convenience to him but he'd definitely have to tell him about that. He entered the house slowly, surrounded by complete darkness courtesy the thick red drapes and the absence of all form of light. It was after eight outside but it was already midnight in there.  
He pulled out his phone and turned on his flashlight before trying to navigate his way through the massive house around him.

He ascended the stairs to his right, taking turn after turn and searching through all the rooms and bathrooms he'd come across, calling out at every door he cracked and every corner he took.  
There was a massive door at the end of the corridor to the left , the only door he hadn't touched in his search.

At the other side of the door, more winding corridors. The house's complexity reminded him somewhat of a maze. Nothing simplistic about it.  
He'd taken what must've been his eighth turn and was about to give up and just go back home because maybe, just maybe, the guy was simply asleep and he was definitely trespassing, but then he heard water and instinct gripped him by the collar and dragged him toward the sound.

Corner after corner, door after door, empty room after empty room.  
Water getting louder.

Intricately designed wooden doors.  
Water is definitely louder.

_Bingo!_

He crept into the room, flashlight shining across the dusty surface, looking for proof that he wasn't alone. He'd checked all the rooms prior so whatever he was searching for had to be in there. _He_ just had to be.

  
The further he went into the room, the colder the atmosphere seemed to become, in one word, it was eery. This room alone was easily the most glamorously adorned but least frequented room in the house, even in the darkness he could see that. The white marbled floors, the thick blue and white drapes, the enormous canopy bed that laid at the center framed with sheer white curtains decked around the frame and furry white carpet mats at both sides.

  
The sounds of falling water grew louder as he crept pass the bed and approached the bathroom.  
He hardly had time to appreciate the rest of the room when -

"What the fuck?!?"

There was a steady flow of water making its way from the bathroom and into the room and when he shined his light up to the source of the flow....

"Shit. Shit! SHIT!!"

He sprung into action immediately. Phone forgotten, he rushed through the water and over to the overflowing tub, impaling his feet on the glass shards of a broken bottle that he’ll be sure to cry about once the adrenaline leaves him like an unhappy significant other, and hoisting the lifeless body out and away from the cold, pooling water and into the bedroom.

He laid sprawled out on the bedroom floor.  
Limp.  
Lifeless.  
Gone.

One, two, three, four. A mantra he kept counting as he tried pumping the still heart and performing CPR.

"What have you done? What have you done?!?" He yelled as he pumped, his eyes becoming increasingly blurry and his body becoming numb.

He slapped him right across the cheek, all his anger and rage over a wasted life packed in the swing and then Atem coughed.  
Spluttering water that he'd managed to swallow.  
Yugi was crying.  
He didn't know he was crying or even why until he'd stopped. His tears abruptly cut off like a closed faucet as Atem's eyes fluttered. Yugi sighed in relief when Atem opened his mouth to speak.

"What the fu-"

Nope. None of that right now, thank you very much.

Yugi stuck a finger at the back of Atem's throat and he turned over and emptied the contents of his stomach before he blacked out.


	2. Stalker or New Friend

He didn't leave his side.

Not when he called Seto, not when they arrived, not when they were being tended to.  
He most certainly did not leave his side.

His eyes remained glued to the unconscious man in the bed who's chiseled face, usually alive with such conviction now rested calm and peaceful. His chest slowly rising and falling, his breathing steady, the only indication that he was still alive and Yugi wouldn't look away until he was certain he'd remain that way.

Even when his eyelids felt heavy and sleep threatened to consume him, Yugi did not leave his side.

 

A bout of nausea swept through him so suddenly that all he could've managed to do was to rise, lean over the bed and hurl. He slumped back into the mountainous pile of pillows and was drifting back to sleep when a shuffle caught his attention. He cracked his eyes open and immediately regretted it when blinding sunlight flooded through the windows and directly into his eyes giving him an instant headache and oh - he shoots, he scores!!  
Off the bed and into a bucket this time.

A bucket?  
Was that always there?

He didn't know. It didn't matter, it saved him from a mess he didn't particularly care to clean anyway.

When he peered through squinted eyes and when he was sure he wouldn't throw up again, he was greeted by the sight of a man that appeared to be a doctor if his lab coat and latex gloves were anything to go by, along with what appeared to be his assistant- again fashion choices or whatever, one tall, sour faced brunette man by the door in a suit far too exquisite to be lounging in his bedroom and a little man with spiked hair that reminded him so much of his own.

Their reason for being there in this room, in his house - unknown.

He decided to address the most familiar factor in this here equation.

"What are you doing here?"

At least that's what he thinks he asked. That's what he hoped they'd heard.

Instead they heard.

"Water yurdo air?"

Yugi's brows furrowed as he gripped the puke filled bucket tighter and extended it to him then glimpsed at the water at the bedside in silent question.

  
 _'Was he thirsty? Did he need to spit? Did he need to throw up again?'_ he thought.

His throat felt dry and grainy like he'd been wandering the desert for days and had been subjected to sucking water from the muddied sands saturated by animal piss - disgusting I know - but that's exactly how he felt.

He made a grand show of clearing his passageways before trying again.

"What are you doing here?"

It was clearer this time, still hoarse and a bit hungry but clearer, so points for that.

Yugi's mouth formed into the shape of an 'O' when he finally caught what was being asked and he felt -hopefully stupid - slow for not being able to figure that out, I mean, he was trespassing after all, why wouldn't the guy want to know why his house had been invaded by uninvited occupants.

His expression softened as he thought of a way to say _"Hey, I found you half dead and pretty much drowning in a tub of water, doped up on pills and high off alcohol."_ without sounding harsh or judgmental.

Yugi looked at the other people in the room and they immediately left him and his hair sake alone.

He slowly put down the bucket, a little unsure if it was a wise decision to or not. He stared at it for some time and before nodding to himself and deciding it was fine.

"What do you remember?" he asked when realized that maybe things would sound a lot less fucked up coming from the person who actually did the shit.

It was like Yugi had asked him the winning numbers for the lotto or to predict his future, his brows were furrowed in deep concentration.

"I......I was home all day, I didn't go to work. I'd been exploring the house while I was drinking, searching rooms and whatnot and somehow..... somehow I ended up in here and I... I don't want to talk about this with you! What are you doing in my house Motou, I asked you first yet somehow I'm the one answering."

"You um... you downed some antidepressants with alcohol and you kinda, sorta drowned in the bathtub. I-I found you and pumped your stomach until you were breathing again."

Oh. He processed

Ohh. He processed some more

Oh shit. It clicked

"I wasn't trying to die you know." the 'not really anyway' silent like the 'k' in knife.

Because of course, you take a bunch of happy pills and pair them with alcohol and expect someone to believe you weren't trying to die when anyone with half a brain knows that's a fucking one way ticket to meet the infamous Lucifer himself.

"Oh? Were you just hoping for an outer body experience?" Yugi asked dryly and clearly not convinced. Logically. "Sorry." He muttered.

"No... I was trying to feel... happy?" He said, testing the weight of the word on his tongue. It felt too heavy. He didn't deserve to say it.

"Happy?!? How does drinking a bottle full of alcohol with antidepressants make you - " oh. Mental click. "That's not how that works."  The 'moron' at the end is silent but they both know it's there.

 

"Yes I'm aware, intoxicated me wasn't too agile with that knowledge though. Anyway, how'd you even think to come find me like that? Not that I'm not grateful, because I am, so thank you."

It was his turn to predict the lotto numbers now. His face was flaming and he wished he could just take the damn thing off and chuck it so fucking far away through the nearest window to hide his obvious mortification.  
How in the goddamn fuck was he supposed to say that _"I follow your routine daily and I noticed something was amiss"_ without sounding like a complete creep? But then Atem had no room to judge anyone because he thought that mixing happy pills with alcohol would take him on a space journey to happy planet, real destination - the afterlife - because really, what makes one happier than death.

So Yugi would just spill, but not in a creepy way, or at least he hoped it wouldn't sound that way.

And then the lotto numbers were drawing and he still hadn't picked his.

"Well?" Atem said impatiently and all sass from his heap of pillows looking small and not intimidating in the slightest. Yugi could almost laugh at the adorableness before him but he knows Atem would summon strength if he had to get it from the devil himself just to throw him outside so he did what he was asked and answered instead.

"Umm. Well I just noticed your home was completely dark and it seemed unusual so I came over to see if you were alright and your doors had been open and that's not safe by the way so I let myself in and started looking for you - and I noticed the upstairs of your house was a maze and did you know it's a maze - and when I kept calling and got no answer I followed the sound of rushing water until I found you."  He rushed out taking all of the air in his lungs with it. No fullstops, no commas. Read that long ass shit with just one breath.

He processed. He stared. His mouth opened, his brows furrowed. He spoke.

"Motou....are you stalking me?"

"Well n-"

"Listen, as touching as this is, which is not even a little, I have to get going and so does my medical staff. So he's going to do his final check ups and we'll be on our way. Yugi?" He said and gestured at the open the door and waits for Yugi to roll over to him.

Roll over? When did that wheelchair get here and why does he need one?

Yugi looked over his shoulder and noticed Atem watching his wheelchair in alien confusion before turning his attention to Seto waiting impatiently - always impatiently - in the corridor, pill bottle in hand and expression tight.

"That guy could've died in your arms Yugi, what you did, calling me, that was reckless. That could've led to so much bad publicity for the company if anything had gone wrong with us there."

"I know, I'm sorry, so sorry, I- I didn't think. I panicked and I knew that if there was one person that can keep a level head in difficult situations, it's Seto. I also didn't think Atem would appreciate the attention an ambulance would bring in coming here."

"Hmmm, fair enough. At least he's alive." he shook the pill bottle entrapped in his slender fingers and the pills rattled "I don't know much about these but the instructions are written on the label. We think it best if you held on to this and administer it accordingly. We wouldn't want another... episode."

"Yes, right." He took the bottle, turning it over in his small hands, eyeing it warily. Seto regarded the shorter man now made much smaller due to the chair with a catlike curiosity.

"You like him, don't you?" He said finally, a triumphant smirk on his face when Yugi's head snapped up and his eyes widened. He was pleased with himself that he figured it out. He always figured things out, though he seemed to fumble in the dark when it came to his own affairs. Yugi's cheeks tinted a light pink as he fought hard to mask the blush that was making it's way onto his face.

"Wh- no. I don't know him well enough to say that."

"Mmm. Of course." He waved dismissively like nothing Yugi said could prove him wrong. He was never wrong. "Your feet seem to be pretty jacked, take some time off work to heal, but do expect emails, what you can't do at the office, you will do at home. Also you look awful, you should get some sleep."  And there was no room for discussion there.

"Yes, thank you."

Meanwhile the doctor goes over to Atem, shines a light in his eyes, checks his tongue and the back of his throat, checks his temperature, listens to his heartbeat, checks his blood pressure, takes a sample of blood, hands him two vitamins and a glass of water, watches him drink it, removes the drip tube from his arm, tells him to eat something and leaves.

"What a charmer." he mumbled dryly.

 

Seto and his medical staff left, most likely heading back to the office, leaving Yugi and Atem alone. Yugi figured that Atem would be starving and took the liberty of ordering Chinese take out for them both as he made himself comfortable in Atem's living area.

 

One hot piss, a cold bath and a much needed toothbrush passed across the surface of some grimy teeth later, Atem was making his way down the stairs to prepare a much needed meal. He still felt like stomped horse shit but that was honestly an improvement to how he'd felt before.

He sauntered into the dining room only to be greeted by the likes of Yugi setting the table with what looked like some really good Chinese food. His stomach rumbled at that. Yugi looked so comfortable and natural in his home and the thought bothered him. But he wouldn't kick the guy out, no, not yet... after the food. Definitely after the food.

"Oh good, you're out of bed. I was beginning to worry that I'd have to go upstairs and retrieve you and well..." he said, gesturing at his wheelchair.

"What happened to your feet?" he asked, looking at the bandaged little things with a frown. "If you don't mind me asking."

"I uh... I stepped on some broken glass when I was trying to get to you and get you out of the tub." He saw Atem flinch and hurried to add "I don't blame you."

"The bottle I had..." Atem slapped his forehead "I'm sorry."

Yugi shrugged it off.

Atem looked at his feet with dread, hating himself so much in that moment. He'd caused that. He was a drunk just like his father and he caused that. He hurt someone else just like he swore he never would and just like his father always did. But he supposed that's what drunks did after all. Make promises they can't keep and then run into shit when they quite obviously can't keep them.

Promises like more riches but instead running into shit like financial debt. He snorted at that. The irony of it all. Maybe his father should've promised debt instead, maybe they'd be swimming in a sea of money.

Yugi caught his bitter expression and wheeled his flaming hot chariot of disability over to Atem and poked him in his side before rolling back to the dining table adorned with hot food.  
He blinked in confusion like 'what the actual....?', but Yugi had caught his attention regardless and he decided that if ever he needed the spotlight, he'd take the awkward, personally intrusive route and just touch someone.  
Yes, but instead of a simple poke, he'd grope, yeah....that ought to get him all the attention his cold soul desired.

He followed Yugi anyway.

He knew he was hungry, but he hadn't realized how hungry he was until Yugi had disrupted him somewhere around his third serving of noodles to 'talk'.

 

Yugi deposited an orange pill bottle similar to his on the dinner table before him.

His jaw clenched repeatedly as he slowly placed his chopsticks on his plate and met Yugi's determined purple eyes with a cold red gaze of his own. His eyes flickered to the pill bottle now situated between them. He knew this conversation was coming, though he expected it from a therapist, not his next door neighbor.

"What's this?"

The bottle was full with circular pills and he knew what they were instantly without needing to read the label.  
Yugi's poker face was impeccable and he briefly wondered if the little man gambled, he considered asking him to a casino and was immediately disgusted with himself. An alcoholic gambler, they may as well call him Aknamkanon the second or Aknam for short because what the hell was up with that long name anyway.

Yugi leveled him though, despite being short and clearly outmatched in his wheelchair, his face said 'try me if you want to bitch'.

"You know what this is so I shouldn't have to explain how this works to you, yeah?"

"Hmph"

He shifted in his chair and suddenly Yugi looked uncomfortable. Interesting..

"Due to what'd transpired yesterday" his business voice was on now, this must be good "I've been asked to hold onto these for you. We didn't want you to keep all the pills here in the instance you got the urge to feel um.. happy again. I know this must seem a bit humiliating but just work with me here, I beg of you."

"Interesting."

He's being treated like a child.  
He hates it.

"Is it? I can tell you're upset so-"

"Please leave."

"Huh?"

"I need to be alone right now if you don't mind. My apologies but please."

"Oh, sure no problem. I'll just... I'll leave two pills here in case you need them."

"Thanks" and with that he was heading to open the back door with the king's procession on his heels. Yugi gave him one final glance before rolling out and making his way around the house and across the street to his own home.

Atem felt something close to guilt. Yugi had hurt both his feet to make sure he didn't die that evening and he'd called a doctor, that he didn't have to pay,  and stayed with him the entire time and how'd he repay him? He was rude, he put him out when he was trying to help and he watched him wheel his little ass across the street to his surely lonely house.

He knew that Motou had his best interest at heart, he knew it was the logical thing for someone to hold on to those pills. He didn't care because to hell with logic. He felt small and humiliated and he hated it.  
It's how his father made him feel after his mom died and he didn't like being reminded of such.  
He was upset and reasonably unreasonably so.

Atem felt the hefty weight of guilt pressing onto his shoulders. Oddly, the guilt trumped his humiliation. He growled at no one in particular before swallowing the tablets and stomping out the house, grumbling all the way to Yugi's door.

 

There was a knock at his door and Yugi sighed. He'd been short his entire life but at the very least he could've reached the peephole at the door.  
He watched it with slitted eyes as he was convinced that it mocked him for his height- or lack thereof. He hadn't been expecting anyone, or so he thought as he wracked his brain for a memory of an arrangement of some kind. Nope, nothing .  
Jou usually showed up at times after work when he needed to talk or just see his friend, but it was a little after noon and Jou wouldn't be off work until five so whoever was at the door was a complete mystery to him.  
He battled with himself, contemplating whether it was a good idea to open the door or not. He took comfort in knowing that if he got kidnapped, Seto would most likely find him. He sighed and yanked it open despite the numerous reasons he'd come up with not to.

"Atem? What're you doing here?"

"It dawned on me that I sent you home in this condition" he gestured at the chair " when you probably need help getting certain things that are now out of your reach. "

"Oh! That's really thoughtful of you. You're right though, I was just beginning to wonder how I'd make it up to my room."

They spent the evening with Atem retrieving Yugi's stuff from his room upstairs while Yugi packed things where he could in the guest room downstairs.  
They didn't speak much, mostly Yugi telling Atem what he needed and Atem offering his help where he thought it would be useful, but even though they didn't speak outside of that exchange, Atem felt at comfortable peace with Yugi, something he hadn't felt in some time and it was nice.


	3. Friends + Theme Song

It had been a little under two weeks since Atem almost died from his own stupid delusions and Yugi in his full Superman glory rushed to his rescue.

During the little time that had passed, Yugi made good use of Atem's company. He was still in his chair despite his feet being mostly healed. Even though the cuts were no longer open gaping wounds of flesh, he still couldn't stand nor walk on them for lengthy periods of time.

Atem came over often much to Yugi’s joy, helping him and making sure he didn't lose his shit from being cooped up and alone in the house all day with nothing but unfinished projects sent to him by none other than Seto Kaiba. Yugi's friends had visited him twice since and the two times that they did, Atem had made some lame excuse and rushed back over to his home, leaving Yugi with his companions. Yugi wondered what it was about his friends that had sent Atem running. Okay, his friends were a bit loud and clingy and nerdy but he didn't even stay long enough to discover that. Earlier that week the whole gang had stopped by - Jounouchi, Mai, Anzu, Tristan, Duke, Ryou, Seto, Mokuba and Rebecca - and Atem all but sprinted to his home and Yugi hadn't seen him since.

Three days had passed.  
Three bloody days.

Yugi was bored and frustrated and he missed the company.

 _His_ company.

He craved it. He loved being around Atem in a desperate and needy way that he didn't particularly like and he knew that if Atem ever chose to pull away, he'd be at the receiving end of a particularly shit smeared stick.

 

During the time that had passed, Yugi had picked up on a few things about the man he'd been spending so much time with, like Atem not liking pickles on his burger and sweet peppers on his pizza, like how he always seemed to call him by his last name, how much he preferred cartoons to live action shows, that he enjoyed reading, he really had a thing for games -like, the guy was crazy fucking good at it - and that he was multilingual and he worked at the museum as a translator of ancient scriptures and somewhat of a historical journalist on the antique pieces that were discovered and added to the museum's collections. None of which remotely hinted a reason for him not sticking around.

Despite knowing these things, he felt like he had barely scraped the surface that was Atem Sennen. He felt like what he had discovered was nothing personal, mere public knowledge that Atem would readily share with anyone because really, there was no secret in not liking pickles on a damn burger.

 

Regardless, this fascinated Yugi as he fell down the rabbit hole of attraction, already falling for Atem's personality - and he really wasn't harsh on the eyes either. He wanted to know more. He longed to know everything there was to know about Atem. To know his fears, his dreams, his deepest, darkest desires, his secrets, his past, his everything. He wanted to know _him_ and not only the face he put on everyday.

He was desperate for Atem to trust him with this delicate information. He was hungry for Atem to trust him because Yugi loved trust. It fueled him in a way he was a bit embarrassed about.

But Yugi trusted Atem and he hoped that in giving his, he'd be inclined to somehow give it back.

Gods he hoped so desperately.

The thought of Atem trusting him completely made his toes curl stiffly in their bandages and his fingers twitch.

Yugi made his way over to Atem's, rounding the house and heading into the backyard because there was no way he'd be able to roll himself up onto the porch.

He knocked and waited.

He knocked and waited some more.

He started panicking.

What if Atem had fell back into the tight grasp of despair and he'd been so hung up on "other things" that he didn't notice until it was too late and now he's upstairs successfully dead in his bathtub.

His mind started playing over scenarios and when the logical ones had escaped him, he started to think of illogical ones, like what if a bear had gotten him while he was out for a jog or something- but the door swung open and Atem smiled at him and his heart skipped a beat as his mind promptly shut the fuck up with it's stupid pointless babble and he was washed thoroughly, from head to toe in body deflating relief.

"Motou hey.." Atem's eyes narrowed "why do you look paler than usual? What's wrong?"

"Nothing" he lied "may I ?"

He stepped aside, letting Yugi roll in. Yugi felt suspicious eyes boring holes into his back.

He ignored it.

 

Even though he'd been to the house quite a few times now, his breath always caught at the sheer genius of the design. Atem had once told him that his mother had studied architecture and that the house was mainly designed by her. Yugi had never seen Atem look more animated in that moment than when he spoke about his mother and her work. A passionate fire danced in his eyes as he spoke about her, no doubt proud and in awe of her creation that he now lived in and called his own, but then his expression grew dark and Yugi wondered if he'd imagined the whole thing.

"So, what are you doing here?"

"I... came to see how you were doing and what you were up to. I also came to ask....why do you keep running away from my friends? You said you were leaving to check on a pot you had on the stove -even though we both know you weren't cooking might I add- and I haven't seen you since. It's been three days."

Atem smirked as this little detail amused him.  
He did have a pot on the stove, granted it was empty and the stove wasn't even on and it was just placed there.

In truth, he didn't plan to stay away that long but after one day and all his friends hadn't left, he felt even less encouragement to go over to Yugi's. He had no reason to, his friends were there, he had company and help, he didn't need Atem.  
Atem needed him though, but he didn't want to admit that to himself.  
Without Yugi around, he was completely alone and vulnerable to the dark thoughts that clawed at his restless mind, pulling and dragging him back into a pit he knew all too well.

While he's the personification of darkness and he sees that Yugi is a light that's constantly surrounded by his friends and is at the receiving end of constant phone calls from those that can't be there, by those that love him, it makes Atem feel all types of shitty. Even Seto fucking Kaiba calls and masks his concern to make it seem as though he only cares about work.

The jealousy rises within him like acidic bile welling up and willing him to spit out his venom, to be harsh and mean to a man that doesn't deserve it.

He'd almost died for fucksake and though he didn't tell anyone, it'd been months since he'd gotten a call from any of his family members or friends back in Egypt. He wondered if they would've even noticed his absence if Yugi hadn't found him.. and then, he wished that Yugi didn't, because really, what was the point in being alive, depressed and alone.

It made for a shitty existence.

He lived a hollow shell of a life, no substance within - no family to call his, no friends, no companion... it was as though he had nothing to live for and really, he didn't - simply existing because fate found it funny to make him a strong exterior that can withstand the pressures of his dreary environment. But even the toughest shells crack and when they do... they shatter. Atem had cracked and it was a wonder he didn't shatter yet, but then he supposed he had Yugi to thank for that.

He was the glue holding him together.

The least he could do is let Yugi enjoy his friends without having to worry about him and on the off chance that he did shatter, Yugi wouldn't be there to witness it and he could solely say that it was his fault and no one else's.

But he didn't tell Yugi about his feelings and his jealousy, because Yugi had no right to feel bad for having people that cared for him but he didn't want to lie either, Yugi deserved much more than lies. He was honest and fair and he deserved that respect.

So instead, Atem told him "I was just giving you and your friends some space to bond. I didn't want to impose." which was the truth but not the whole truth but it satisfied his guilt either way.

"You weren't imposing, you're my friend too." and Atem's brows shot up and into the stars and Yugi wondered if he'd said something wrong and so he quickly added "well I already see you as such. But we can be if you want ?"

"I'm your - " he stared at Yugi incredulously "okay, yes I'd like that."

"Great." he said and he smiled but what he really meant was 'fuck yeah!' and he does a little somersault in his mind because Atem now trusts him with his friendship. It’s a start.

And Atem was super glad because he had a friend to call his, one that cared about him.

Atem looks at him for some time and he looks back, a stupid little smile plastered on his face and he shifts nervously.

"So, what do you want to do now? Do you need stuff done at home?"

"Oh no! I'm taking a break. I was thinking that maybe we could probably play a game or something."

"Okay, sounds good. But I've been indoors all day, do you mind if we play out back?"

"I don't mind at all." He wouldn't have had an issue if they played at the local dump. Anywhere Atem was, was an experience he didn't want to pass up.

They spent the evening playing chess, dungeon dice monsters and eventually duel monsters. Atem had been a surprisingly good duelist when they first played and his skills and tactics never failed to amaze and he thought to ask where he'd leaned to play so well.

"Wow, you almost beat me and claimed my title, Kaiba would've been less than pleased." Yugi said with a wary laugh.

"Is he ever though?"

"Fair point." he chuckled "where'd you learn to play so well anyway?"

"My father." he sighed and his eyes suddenly looked distant, like he was back in a time that was so long ago that it was nothing more than a fading memory now.

"Sorry I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me. You played really well."

"Thank you."

Yugi's smile was strained and he could see that he was trying to mask his disappointment. Atem didn't want him to leave upset and he surely was not ready to let Yugi go just yet either.

After a moment of consideration he asked , "Would you like to watch a movie? Your pick since you won."  
And Yugi's adorable face split into a blinding smile and Atem's breath caught as he wondered if Ra's golden disk had descended in his backyard.

 

They spent the next two hours watching the a cheesy old horror flick Yugi found online.

Atem and Yugi were sitting considerably close when a head lulled onto his shoulder and spiked hair tickled his neck. He panicked a little at first because damn, that could've been a spider invading his personal space and he definitely did not do spiders, but it was just Yugi, asleep and resting comfortably on him.

He thought to wake him or to carry him home or upstairs to a bedroom, but he decided on neither. He shifted a throw pillow where Yugi's head laid and maneuvered himself until he was standing and peering down at the sleeping form on the couch.  
Yugi shifted and felt around as though he was searching for something and when he didn't get it, he sighed and whimpered. Atem took this as a sign of him being cold and dashed upstairs and into one of the many unoccupied rooms, retrieving a blanket and two pillows.

He tucked Yugi in and sat on the chair opposite to him, turning the television off and watching the man curled up on the other couch instead. He could've gone to his room, made himself comfortable and warm in his bed, instead, he sat there watching Yugi in shameful abandon without fear of anyone seeing him - watching how his wild, blonde bangs caressed his face, his brows that twitched as though he was having a bad dream, his long lashes that curled over his cheek, his little lips that parted slightly, his pale neck that peaked out from under the blanket, the slow rise and fall of his chest - until his lids got heavy and his consciousness left him.


	4. Jounouchi

When Yugi woke up the following morning, he was a bit disoriented. The room he was in wasn't his own but one quick glance around told him that he was at Atem's. He was on the couch, tucked in a blanket and positioned rather awkwardly, his body felt cramped and stiff and his mouth tasted like nightmares.

Atem noticed his discomfort from his position on the opposite chair and went over to offer Yugi a hand up, which he graciously accepted.

"I suppose these chairs aren't ideal for sleeping, had I known it would've affected you so, I would've carried you upstairs" he cracked his neck "but I didn't want to wake you, you seemed so peaceful after all."

"Oh, it's fine, nothing a little stretching can't fix. Thank you for your hospitality Atem... but why'd you think it wouldn't affect me? Doesn't it affect you?"

"You're shorter than me." He shrugged.

"Ha. Ha." He rolled his eyes "Why did you sleep downstairs?"

"I didn't want to leave you alone."

Yugi blushed at that.

He smiled a soft smile, one Yugi had never seen on him before and Yugi was starring in awe but in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

"So... breakfast?"

"Yes but I definitely need to shower and brush my teeth first."

"Sure. I can help you over the road, seeing as you're all stiff and whatnot."

"Ugh thank you."

They made it over the street to Yugi's house only to be approached by a pacing Jounouchi.

"Yug, there ya are! I've been out here almost an hour now, I've been calling, where's your phone?"

"Oh, I must've put it on silent after our call."

Jounouchi looked at his friend, like really looked at him. His messy bed head, the sleep lines on his face, the glassy look in his eyes and .... was that the same clothes from yesterday. He could've sworn Yugi was wearing that t-shirt over their video call. His eyes then raked over Atem, messy hair but then he supposed his hair always looked messy, but he was sporting pretty much the same look as Yugi.

Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating.

"Jou, you remember Atem." Yugi said, wincing and shifting in his seat uncomfortably as he tried to stand and Atem rushed to his aid to help him up. Jounouchi watched their exchange curiously.

"Yeah I remember him. Sup?"

"Hey." Atem responded as he opened the door and led them inside supporting Yugi with a hand around the waist.

Interesting indeed.

The two were talking in a hushed argue and Jou still hadn't stopped starring. He knew Yugi's feet still hurt but he'd also seen him walk on them a few days before and he didn't walk like _that_.

"Hey, did ya hurt ya feet again?" he asked, cutting through their lovers quarrel.

"What? No. I just slept pretty badly last night. It's nothing." He waved off "Hey, you said you'd been waiting for me about an hour now, what's up? Did something happen?"

Jou looked at Atem.

Atem looked at Jounouchi.

Right. Exit time.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I'll be making breakfast. Come over when you're ready. You're free to join us as well Jounouchi." he said before quickly making his escape.

"Okay thanks." He said to the air where Atem once was. How did he manage to leave so quickly?

"Jounouchi-kun?"

"Right yeah. I've been calling ya all morning, you never not answer ya phone." He said frowning "Anyway, Shizuka is visiting from Japan Friday and I wanted to invite ya ta dinner. Was thinking ta invite the whole gang, probably cook some food, have a game night, ya know, the usual."

"And you want me to cook, is that it?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"I'm pretty sure there's a picture of you under that word in a dictionary somewhere." He chuckled "fine, I'll cook."

"Great! Oh, and you can invite Atem too, ya know, since you two are fucking or whateva."

Yugi choked then. On air or saliva or a ghost dick, he didn't know, all he knew was that he was coughing and his eyes were burning with unshed tears. Probably because of the size of the ghost dick.  
Jounouchi rushed to him in concern, patting his back before running to the kitchen to get him some water which he drank greedily.

"Jou! Oh my fuck! We're not- no. You can't just- jeeezzz." his face was hot. Really hot.

Did he think about fucking Atem?  
Hell yes. Every. Single. Day.

Did he ever act on it?  
Absolutely not.

Was it obvious he wanted to?  
Hell, apparently.

"Sorry, sorry! I just thought- ya know, since you slept there and ya hair is a mess and you're walking a bit funny that..."

"He doesn't like me like that. I don't even think he swings that way." he sighed before making his way to his bathroom to get tidied up.  
How he wished Atem liked him like that.

 

Breakfast was.... awkward to say the least.

Jounouchi kept looking between the two in a very obvious manner which made Yugi uncomfortable.  
Their conversation from before kept playing over in his head and he couldn't help but wonder if Atem knew what he thought of him, if he noticed the hungry stares, if he noticed him blushing whenever they touched and just ignored it all.

Atem casted long suffering glances at Yugi every so often like he was saying 'help me', 'say something.', with his eyes so Yugi did, because if Yugi was one thing, it was helpful.

"So Atem, Jou here is having a dinner party and game night for his sister who's visiting from Japan this Friday and he invited us both." and that got Jou talking about his plans for Friday and about his sister Shizuka and Atem sent Yugi a looked that screamed 'thank you!' and Yugi's stomach did a little flip because he helped Atem and that made him extremely happy.

____________________________________

Friday came quickly. Far too quickly for Atem's liking.

Yugi had spent the week back and forth and prepping him when he could so that he'd have safe topics to bring up with his friends, not like he intended to initiate any conversation to begin with. He was quite fine just answering questions.

 

When Yugi returned from cooking over at Jounouchi's and he noticed Atem was no where near ready, he begun barking orders at him and chastising him.

"So, daddy issues. Don't ask Jou or Seto about their dads." he warned - as though Atem didn't have daddy issues of his own - as he helped Atem select a bottle of wine from behind the bar , "Duel monsters is a safe topic for everyone, Anzu dances and Mokuba and Rebecca are dating but they think we don't know, so we'd just leave it at that until they're ready to tell us."

 

Atem made a mental note of everything he was told but when the time came, that prior knowledge did nothing to calm his nerves.  
He didn't know why he was so skittish to begin with, he'd met them all before, granted he'd all but sprinted home when he did, but that was irrelevant, he'd still met them. But maybe that had something to do with it and he worried that maybe this time it'll be just like that awkward breakfast they had with Jou but on an even larger scale. The thought made his eye twitch.

When they arrived at Jounouchi's home, Atem was even worse than before. His palms were sweaty, his breathing strained, his clothes were suddenly too tight, the bottle of wine he brought suddenly too cheap.

It wasn't.  
If Atem had to blow good money on one thing, it was good fucking booze.  
Alcohol had never abandoned him after all, of course he'd spend a pretty penny and purchase the best.

Yugi seemed to sense his distress.

"Hey, they're just my friends, you really don't need to be nervous. They're a bunch of nerds honestly."

Atem's response was a stiff nod. Yugi sighed and squeezed his shoulder before getting out of the car.

Atem didn't know what he expected when he walked into the house, possibly to be completely ignored once the introductions were out of the way, what he didn't expect however, was to be enveloped in hugs and showered with attention.  
He was probably in his sixth embrace by now - he didn't know, he'd stopped counting since number three - when Yugi shrieked and ran across the room to an old man in the corner that shared his unusual violet eyes and unruly hair.

"Jii-chan!!!" He yelled and barreled into the man with teary eyes. The man returned the embrace right away.

But even with that distraction, Atem wasn't forgotten. He got more attention than he wanted because Yugi came over with his grandpa in hand to introduce him to Atem and the old man grabbed him into a tight hug almost as ferocious as the one he shared with his grandson and Atem was beginning to feel light headed because damn, did the old man have a grip and he really hated being touched and it was really beginning to be too much too soon.

It could've been that the mortification he felt was clearly painted on his face or that Jou was really fucking hungry - or it honestly could've been both - when he looked at Atem and yelled for everyone to be seated at the table for dinner.

"Isn't it unsanitary to have pets at the table?" Kaiba asked suddenly as he looked pointedly at Jounouchi who had just received a dish filled with steamed vegetables.

Atem looked over at Jounouchi, then around the table as he searched for an animal of some species, becoming increasingly confused when he saw that there were only people that sat for dinner.

"Why Kaiba you little prick!" Joey yelled, standing with balled fists as though he was about to throw a punch, but he was quickly restrained by Mai and Shizuka and a chastising old man about his language.

Kaiba smirked in satisfaction at having gotten Jounouchi rilled up as he dug into his food and hummed in delight.

"This isn't awful Yugi."  
Some compliment.

Yugi dragged a heavy hand along his face, obviously tired and frustrated.

Dinner pretty much continued the same, casual conversation, bickering and a lot of reprimanding with regards to fucked up language and then Atem had to take a step outside because he was overwhelmed by it all.

He went from being alone and having no interactions with friends to being completely submerged in the thing.

So he sat out on the porch under the glittering stars that danced across Nut's marvelous skin and inhaled the sharp breeze that blew between her and Geb's forced separation by Shu himself.

And even when he wanted to be alone, he couldn't because Mai sauntered onto the porch and being the polite soul he was trying to be, he offered her a seat.

"I thought you might be here. Everyone was under the impression that you'd gone to the washroom."

"How'd you figure?"

"Just a haunch." She shrugged.

There was a peaceful silence that followed and he really thought that would be the end of their little conversation when she started speaking again.

"Why're you out here?" She asked.

"Just getting some fresh air."

"Let me guess, you're out here because you're trying to distance yourself, you don't want to get too close - either because you think you don't deserve it or because you're afraid.....Did I get it?"

 

He looked at her.  
Okay maybe she was right, maybe she had a bit of a point. It was scary how well she could read him though. He was afraid, everyone he let in, left eventually or just forgot about him.

He didn't feel as though he deserved to have friends either, he felt as though alone is how he was meant to spend his existence, fate had certainly made a show of snatching everyone away from him anyway.

She must be a witch.

 

"I'm guessing from your lack of answer or denial that I hit the nail right on the head."

"Am I that easy to read?" he asked because he genuinely wanted to know.

"Yes and no. Yes, because I can relate, I've been in the same situation once before and I tried to distance myself the same way. No because nobody else in there seems to know why you retreated to begin with. Also, I'm a people person."

All he heard was 'I'm a witch'

 

"You?" he asked, voice laced with disbelief.  
She didn't look like she could ever relate to being alone and friendless.

She chuckled and looked out at the moonlit sky once more, his eyes following her gaze.

Nut really was showing off tonight.  
The night was a truly beautiful one. There were no clouds in sight as the stars shone brilliantly, the full moon casting a bright light onto the earth. Onto her love.

"I'd been afraid to let anyone in, I was convinced that I didn't need friends and that I could be okay alone....that was until I met Jou and his friends. Trust me Atem, they're as genuine as they appear to be. Little big on the dork side, but genuine."

"There you guys are." Yugi said as he stepped onto the porch closely followed by Jounouchi.

"Hun, let's go back inside." Mai said, taking Jou's arm and leading him back into the house.

 

"Is everything okay? My friends aren't making you more uncomfortable  are they?"

"No, they're really nice. I was just getting a little fresh air."  
He didn't lie. They were nice, maybe too nice, nicer than he deserved. They reminded him of puppies.

"Mind if I join you?"

He gestured at the chair Mai had previously occupied.

"Are _you_ okay?" He asked carefully, emphasizing on the pronoun. "It's okay, you don't have to give me details, I just want to know if you're alright."

He could feel eyes scorching holes into him as he gazed out at the night sky, slowly, he dragged his eyes away and met his gaze steadily.

"Why do you care? Like really? It's something that's always baffled me since that day."

"I....I just do. You could've seriously hurt yourself." He mumbled. Also, "I really fucking like you." He wanted to say.

"Still doesn't explain why you care this much."

"That's just how I am. I care. I love caring. If I figured I can help someone, I do, I try my best to because.... why not?"

"I see. That's very noble of you. Well, to answer your question, I am fine."

Yugi twisted his head to the side as he looked at him, as though looking from another angle would change what he saw.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Just trying to figure you out I guess."

"And have you?"

He sighed. Defeated.

"No."


	5. Nightmare Game

Mai and Yugi had been right. Their friends were absolute fucking dorks. Dorks in the dorkiest way possible.

Kaiba had brought over his new duel disk system -always upgrading his devices and using his 'friends' as his unpaid guinea pigs - and they'd set up a bit of a tournament.

The rules were simple.

Two duels at a time, the choice of challenger was theirs for the picking and the winner goes on to the next round, knocking each other out of the game so that ultimately the final two standing duel each other.

 

The game started with Shizuka and Anzu being challenged by Ryou and Mai. They didn't fare well, they were the first to go.

Easy pickings if you will.

Duke extracted Tristan and Jounouchi ousted Mokuba.

Yugi expelled Mai while Seto handled Rebecca and Atem had a close but successful call with Ryou.

'A warm up' he smugly thought but seriously that fucking occult deck of Ryou's was a creepy motherfucker and tough as fuck too.

And then there were four.

Yugi versus Jounouchi while Atem faced Seto.

Jou's gambling deck and strategies hadn't changed much over the years and that proved to Yugi's advantage as he conquered him. It wasn't easy, gambler or not, he played a fucking good game, clever strategies and all and it always made Yugi happy to see how he improved over the years.

Atem however had never dueled with Seto before, with his strong Dragon deck and brilliant strategies and Seto had certainly never heard of an Atem in any dueling rings so imagine his surprise when Atem was holding his own so well with his spell casters and countering strategies that Seto, Seto - fucking - Kaiba put in place, that he ultimately wiped the floor with Seto's mop-stick looking ass.

When his life points had hit zero, everyone in the yard had grown silent, even Jounouchi had shut that fucking fly trap of his and was looking at Seto with a shocked expression.

And it was then that all mental hell broke loose.

Seto stood in his spot for about five minutes, stone faced and rigid with murder in his eyes when Mokuba approached his brother charily and whispered something in his ear.

He knew dueling was serious to a lot of people. It was apparently really serious to Yugi who held the undisputed title 'King of Games' but he hadn't realized just how seriously Seto Kaiba took it.

Kaiba wasn't entirely satisfied with being second to Yugi as far as titles went but Yugi was one person, one measly five foot four of a guy and he was a worthy adversary and so, he'd learned to live with it - sorta, kinda, not really?  
It's something he coped with daily. Cut him some slack.

But then a fucking nobody who was just as short and almost drowned in a damn bathtub comes and knocks him from number two to number three in a less than an hour under the notion of 'playing for fun' - well lets just say he didn't appreciate it.

Kaiba stood there with his life points at zero in a very silent back yard watching a very a confused Atem while his left eye twitched, his jaw clenched, his fists balled and his blood boiled.

He wanted to hit him.

Mokuba told him not to. He told him that beating Atem up would do nothing positive for the company's image. Mokuba was right, he could see the headlines now "Seto Kaiba: a sore loser" or "Seto Kaiba beats man to death after losing game of duel monsters" and ultimately "Seto Kaiba sentenced to prison."  
He had to protect the company.  
Always about the company.  
Mokuba knew how to get him to comply, that slick little shit.

But he wanted what he wanted and he really wanted to fetch a piece of wood and beat him across the fucking body because who the fuck does he think he is coming here and beating Seto Kaiba at this game, but then his eyes drifted to Yugi who was looking at Atem with something like awestruck wonder and pride and something else he didn't catch immediately.  
He looked at him like Atem hung the fucking moon when in reality he couldn't even change a light bulb without getting onto a stepladder.

And then it had hit him.

Yugi, that sweet, naive nerd looked at Atem with something akin to love and he'd seen it enough when Jou looked at Mai and when Mokuba looked at Rebecca and he was disgusted but he deflated because as annoying as Yugi was, he was his friend and he didn't want to murder his "lover" - ew, even the word tasted horrific - and have him so grief stricken that he couldn't complete his duties at work and if Kaiba cared about one thing, it was the company.....and Mokuba of course.

So, he swallowed his rage like a big bulky meatball and extended a stiff hand and an even stiffer "good game." to Atem who shook it hesistantly, and bolted to the house with Mokuba hot on his heels where he could scream his profanities in peace.

There were audible sighs of relief so heavy when Kaiba left that Atem thought he felt a strong breeze and Atem stood there confused because really, who the fuck gets so worked up about a game anyway?

He should've only been there for death-T, he would've known who gets so worked up over games.

But then it was his turn to face Yugi and just like at home, Yugi had won and he wanted nothing more than to go home and forget this nightmare of a game night.

Kaiba needed to redeem himself, or he needed Atem for himself. Either one was fine with him. If he defeated Seto Kaiba then surely he's brilliant and he should definitely be working for him.

He didn't realize how much of a dork Seto was until he'd received a call from him two weeks later telling him just that.

"....Anybody brilliant enough to beat me in a duel should work for me." And he'd meant it in all seriousness and Atem was terrified because what sort of person decides ones capabilities and qualifications based on a duel in a back yard at a dinner party under the influences of alcohol?

But he'd responded by telling Seto how much he liked his current job and that he was in no way experienced in the technological field to even dream of working at Kaiba Corp and Kaiba had let it rest.... for now.

______________________________________________

It had been almost two months since Atem became acquainted with Yugi, almost a month with his friends and almost two weeks since Seto's job offer.

Yugi's grandfather was still in America and he didn't seem to be returning home any time soon so Atem had made himself quite scarce in going over to Yugi's because, you know, jealousy, or something like it anyway. He'd never admit to such dishonorable emotions.

But that didn't stop Yugi from coming over to check on him because Yugi was a good friend - that wanted in his pants. Yugi was better than he deserved.

The month end was upon them and Atem knew what that meant. The demons in tacky suits that worked at the financial institution in the city would be deducting half his salary from his account so that he can pay off his father's gambling debt.

He expected it.  
It was another part of his life's routine.

So when he arrived at home and noticed a man he recognized all too well in a shabby ass suit sitting on his porch, waiting for him to get home, his jaw constricted.

David, he was called, sat there like he owned the fucking place with a stupid little briefcase on his lap and an expectant expression on his face like 'how dare you keep me waiting.' and Atem had to resist the urge to slap him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked roughly, skipping all pleasantries portraying just how displeased he was to be in his presence.

"Do you mind if we sat and spoke for a moment ?"

"Well you're already sitting and you're already speaking so why don't you just say your piece?" He spat.

"I have bad news-"

"Do you ever bare good ones?"

David sighed when he was cut off.

Atem's fingers twitched. The fucking nerve.

"-it appears that the bank doesn't like the rate at which the loan is being repaid. They're saying that with the amount of money you pay every month, it'll take you about six years to pay off the loan completely and unfortunately that's too long for them. They're increasing your monthly quota from next month."

The fucking nerve!

David looked at him carefully as he waited for him to say something.

He didn't speak.

He didn't trust himself to.

He thought about what they were requesting - no, not requesting, demons don't request- no, demanding from him.

When he finally focused his sights onto the man in front of him, he visibly paled, the complacent expression now wiped completely from his face.

Good.

"David..." he drawled out "you have five seconds to get the fuck off my property starting now. One"

Two.

"I-I think I'll g-go now. Thank you sir." He said nervously as he briskly escaped the porch.

Three.

He fumbled with his keys.

Four.

He'd gotten the car to start.

Five.

He got the fuck out of there.

 

Smart.  
__________________________________________

Atem was going through it.

He knew he was.

He knew he should've shed his work clothes, go over to Yugi's house, take two happy pills and hang with his friend and his grandpa until the day's happenings were nothing but a bad memory that he'd work out later but Yugi wasn't home and he'd never spent time with the old man alone.

So instead, he turned around, hopped back into his car and drove off with no destination in mind.

It just so happens that whenever his mind led him somewhere he didn't actively think to be, it was always at a place where he had good memories.  
Happy memories.  
Always a place he didn't particularly want to be.

He pulled up to a little lake at the edge of town where his family used to frequent and sat on the hood of his car and watched as brilliant oranges, pinks, purples and yellows danced across the sky and bid farewell to the receding disk of the sun god Ra but he barely saw any of it.  
He was watching but he wasn't seeing, there but his mind wasn't.  
Images raced through his mind's eye at one hundred memories per minute and each one stung like a whip to the back, each more painful than the last.

It was good.

It hurt.

He deserved it.

The pain.

He needed more.

He hopped back into his car as the skies grew dark and Nut's dark skin intensified and absorbed the sky's light until there was none left. No stars danced in the sky that night and he couldn't help but think they shared his reservations; fuck cheer.

They didn't.

On his way back home he decided to make a stop. It was a shitty bar with a shitty crowd and shitty looking patrons.

It was perfect.

He was almost through the bottle when he decided to go look for trouble. He sauntered up near the door by the grimmest man in the establishment and slammed his empty bottle onto the man's table. The man was easily twice his height and weight - but then almost everyone was - with short black hair, a really pedophilloic mustache and gains like he lifted cars in his spare time.

"Fifty dollars says you can't take me." he said as he threw the money on the table.

"Do I look like I need your money."

"Do you want me to answer that honestly?"

Because yes, he did. He looked like he hadn't seen a shower in days and his clothes were hugging him so tight, Atem was sure he stole it.

"Get lost little man."

"What, am I too old for you?" Atem teased and he knew he'd done it. The vein in the man's temple bulged and his body went stiff for a moment before Atem was being choked and tossed outside by the collar.

"Don't hold back, I'm not a kid.... but then I suppose you don't hold back on kids huh, you let em have i-" and he didn't get a chance to finish because the man punched him in the mouth and he only had a moment to spit the blood before he was choked and tossed again.

He kicked him in the stomach and all the wind was knocked out from his lungs.

Atem was coughing.

He was laughing.

He was seeing stars and he was laughing.

Guess Nut changed her mind after all.

The man straddled him and was about to hit him another blow to the face when he heard the sound of police sirens getting louder.  
He was dropped roughly, his head heating the concrete with a thud and black dots dance across his vision when the police officers begun surrounding them and was about to drift off when he felt someone yank him to his feet, cuff him and throw him to the back of a police car.

He was beaten and bloody and going to jail and his last coherent thought on the ride there was 'I deserve it.'

 

Yugi was awoken at some absurd hour by the high pitched ring of his phone and contemplated not answering it when he notice the number was the local police station. Panic flooded through him as he answered the phone and rushed to the window in search of Atem's car which he realized never returned and then his heart rate started to return to normal when the guy told him that Atem was right there and then his heart was in his throat because he realized Atem was in jail.

He brushed his teeth and rushed out the house without so much as a glance in the mirror. He had no clue what he looked like but if he hazard a guess, it'll definitely be messy haired, wild eyed and extremely tired in the face.

He arrived at the station and hopped out of the car before the engine could even shut off properly and dashed into the precinct with his wallet in hand.

"Where is he? I need to see him." he said all bugged eyed and wild.

"He's in the back sir, we'll bring him to the gates. How about you start signing those release papers?"

He'd signed the documents and finished paying when Atem was released to him., torn clothes and bloodied.

"Here's your brother." The officer said as he passed Atem over.

"He's bleeding and he's hurt, why didn't you guys take him to the hospital?!" he yelled at the officers who looked at each other nervously like 'damn we fucked up.'

"We uh- sorry sir, we usually have a nurse at the station who- "

"Never mind all that, you'll be hearing from my lawyer soon." He said as he begun guiding Atem to the doors "and he's not my brother."

They were in the confines of the car when Yugi allowed himself to really look at Atem. He had an open cut on his forehead where dried blood and his blond bangs stuck together, his neck was bruised as though he'd been choked, his cheek swelled slightly and his lip was busted a little, his hands, he took his hands in his and examined them, they trembled as he ran a light thumb over the bruised flesh, swelling at the balls as though he used them to brace a fall.

"We need to get you to the hospital. Who did this to you?"

"No one I didn't know. Please take me home."  
He didn't know him.

"Atem, who did this, what happened. Please... please tell me."

"It's nothing okay. My friend" - that guy was not his friend - "likes to play rough sometimes, that's all."

"That's not how friends play, you're hurt and you need to get to the hospital."

"Yugi, take me home. Please just... just take me home."

Yugi looked at his pleading eyes and sighed in defeat as he pulled out of the parking lot and made his way to their homes.

When they arrive, Atem's the first one out of the car and he completely overestimated his strength and sobriety because the moment his feet touched the driveway, he begun taking a face dive to rock boulevard and he was lucky that yugi was healed and quick on his little feet because had he been a little slower, they'd have been hopping back into the car and heading straight to a hospital, no if, no buts, no mother fucking coconuts.

"I didn't tell you to get out." Yugi whined

"Whoops! Sorry." He laughed. The little shit found him almost face planting into concrete and rocks amusing.

They got into the house despite having keys because for some goddamn reason, Atem never locks the fucking door.

Yugi put Atem to sit as he ran over to his home to get his first aid kit. When he came back, Atem was nursing a bottle of whiskey in his hands. He took a swig when he saw Yugi, grimacing as the warm liquid stung the bruise on his lip and burnt all the way down his throat before extending the bottle to him in silent offer.

He snatched the bottle away and put it on a table out of reach while Atem whined in disapproval as he was tossed an ice pack instead of the bottle back.

"You've had enough, you're cut off."

"This isn't a pub and you're not my mother."

Yugi sighed.  
Atem was absolutely wasted and he knew it, arguing with him would prove rather pointless.  
He was a difficult drunk after all.

"I know. Your mother was an absolute genius, I can never compare."

"She would've like you." He sighed.

"You think so?"

"YuP!"

"Well, I know nothing about her but I don't think she would've liked to see you like this."

"You're right, guess I'm lucky she's dead and she can't."

Yugi visibly flinched but said nothing more because what the fuck?

Yugi was attending to the wound on Atem's forehead when he placed the ice pack down and started speaking.

"My dad always blamed me for her death. Sometimes he'd go out and come back totally washed and he'd hit me and tell me that it was my fault, that I caused it and I deserved it."

Yugi's hand stilled for a second before he returned to cleaning the wound. His hand itched to caress Atem's face and kiss all his pain away.  
But he couldn't.  
He couldn't caress Atem like that and he didn't want to chance it because Atem was baring his soul to him and he didn't want him to stop. He wanted Atem to let him in not scare him off, so instead he cleaned the wound far gentler and masked the rage in his voice when he spoke because he didn't want Atem to know how upset he was that his father would say such a thing and lay hands on _his_ fucking Atem.

"You know that isn't true, don't you? Your mom had cancer, you didn't cause that, you couldn't and you certainly didn't deserve that Atem."

"I know that now, but I'd be lying to us both if I said I didn't think I deserved this because I do. I should've gotten my dad help the first time he got so shitfaced that he came home and choked me until I passed out....but then the next day he apologized and begged for my forgiveness and I forgave him. I always forgave him." his fists where clenched tight and his nails dug into his palm and drew blood , "He'd tell me that mom focused so much on me that she never paid any attention to herself, not even when she was sick and dying. He told me she worried herself to death over me. He said that if it wasn't for me, she'd be here longer. If she was here, he wouldn't be gone either, he wouldn't be a drunk and I wouldn't be like him. I'm just like him Motou and in a funny, sick way, I deserve this."

"Hey, what the fuck. You're nothing like him okay! And you don't deserve th- wait a minute. Did you pick a fight with someone because you felt like you deserved it?!"

The silence was the only answer he needed.

Fuck composure. He'd lost it.  
He was yelling and his eyes were blurred with unshed tears but he didn't care.

"You don't deserve this, you're nothing like him! You're not. You can't keep punishing yourself for things that were out of your control."

"Really? Didn't you fuck your feet up the first time you came here? That was in my control."

"Listen to me.... your mother loved you like any good mother should and you should not feel bad about that, and your dad.... he was a jackass, a hurt jackass, but I know that deep down, he loved you too. He lost his soulmate and he didn't know how to cope...and that day... that day you weren't in control, not completely so I do not blame you."

"If they loved me so much, why'd they leave me? Sometimes I wish I could just...." he said in a ghost of a voice.

"Can I tell you something?"  
His only response was a nod  
"My parents died when I was really little. Car accident. They'd gone to get something for me when some cunt in a truck totaled them. My grandpa raised me, but I always felt like something was missing, you know? I know they didn't mean to, they had no choice in the matter, but I felt like they left me, abandoned me and I blamed myself, I blamed myself so much that I tried my best to forget about them, to stop mourning them because to me, I was the reason they're dead and I didn't want to remember them or that or feel anything like that at all ..... and you know what the fucked up thing is? I did. I can't even remember what my parents look like." he sighed deep and heavy " so listen, even though you feel hurt and abandoned, don't resent them, don't be mad at them, don't forget them and do not punish yourself for it.."

 

He looked at Yugi. He looked at the man he'd come to know over the pass two months and saw someone who'd saved him from death, who stuck by him when he was a total ass and treated him with nothing but kindness, someone who showed him that they cared and who reminded him constantly that he wasn't going anywhere.  
Yugi looked at him with the worried expression of someone who genuinely cared and genuinely wanted to help and it was in that moment that Atem took a gamble... not the gamble that would pronounce you rich or poor, no, a gamble that could either make you whole or completely broken.

He gambled his trust.

All of it.

He let Yugi into his fucked up little life and walked him through part of his fucked up past and he felt better for it because Yugi was just as fucked up as he was.

If he only knew how great it was to talk and share your burdens with someone else, he would've gone to therapy years ago.


	6. Up close and.....

Yugi laid in his bed as he watched the angry red numbers on his alarm clock screaming the time 4:18 am at him, reminding him that he had to be up and be at work in the next three hours and forty two minutes which meant he had approximately three hours and twenty minutes to sleep.

Yeah, he did that thing that people do when they fucked around the night before knowing they had responsibilities the next day.

He had three hours and twenty minutes of sleep to get and he was in no way tired. Not even a little bit.

His mind reeled the events of the night like an old film in attempt to understand Atem better because if he understood him better that meant being able to help him better and Yugi wanted to help Atem, he wanted to help him so much.

Yugi thought back to aiding Atem's wounds and bruises and how Atem looked at him with that vulnerable openness as he spoke about his parents while Yugi cleaned the cut on his forehead.  
Yugi could see it in his eyes when his walls came down, that cold, calculating stare was then filled with pure trust and a different type of brokenness he'd never had the fortune - or misfortune if you may - of seeing.

His hairs stood on edge because he was on the receiving end of Atem's trust, something he craved as much as the body craved and needed air.  And his initial feeling was to cradle that trust close to his heart because he never wanted to break it or lose it.  
He never wanted to lose him.

And then his second feeling - something warm and bubbly - begun to blossom in his stomach when Atem removed his shirt and it was the first time Yugi got a look at the chiseled body that lie beneath the lucky fabrics that got to cling to him so intimately. He was toned and defined but not in an excessive, bodybuilder type way, but like someone who stayed active in the gym, not for gains but simply for the healthy part of it and then he had to take a deep breath and steady himself because he was openly admiring and Atem was waiting to be tended to so he focused all his attention on the lightly swollen skin on his rib that had turned bluish in hue.

He touched the area slowly...lightly and Atem grunted in displeasure and pain and the sound of Atem's raspy voice graduated him to his third feeling that started making him super uncomfortable when that blossoming heat moved to his crotch and he felt worried because he'd just been awarded his trust and it'd suck if he lost it in the same night.

"Your ribs may be bruised, maybe even worse and you can have a concussion. You really should see a doctor."

"Okay I will, but right now, just fix me up so that we can both get some sleep."

"Really?"

That was a lot easier than he thought considering how he was shot down the first few times he asked.

"I trust you Yugi, if you think I should go to the doctor, then I will."

And Yugi's breath caught and his heart rate increased tenfold because all he heard was "I trust you Yugi." and he knew Atem did but to hear him say it and use his name was....fuck, it was something because Atem had never called him Yugi before then and so he had to take a walk into the kitchen to get some ice from the freezer - even though he didn't need any - to hide the bulge that was growing in his pants.  
The blossoming heat had definitely blossomed and it was an open flame and he was completely engulfed by it.

He stuck his face in the freezer and chanted to himself, willing his stupid dick to cool down because now was not the time.

Atem was hurt and vulnerable and probably didn't think of him like that and now just was not a good fucking time to find out if he did.

He counted to one hundred and his dick had grown soft but it didn't matter because his blood was still hot and his hormones were raging and he wanted nothing more than you spread Atem out on the counter and stuff his dick in his mouth and look up at those trusting vulnerable eyes looking down at him as he worked him to an orgasm.

It was a complete miracle that he managed to get Atem all iced and patched up in one piece before practically running over to his house to take a shower. A cold one. One to clear his head.

But that was futile, wasn't it, because he was laid up in bed with his dick hard and in his hand, already beading pre cum at the head. He thought about Atem as he stroked himself slowly, smearing it as he whispered his name, almost like a forbidden secret, concealed by the darkness of his room.  
He stroked himself and wondered if Atem did the same too, if he ever thought about fucking him too.  
He licked his fingers and caressed his neglected nipples as he remembered the sound of his name on Atem's tongue, so sweet and beautiful and gentle and he wondered what it would sound like raspy and hoarse and screamed out for everyone to hear.

His heart beat hard and fast in his chest as though competing and trying it's best to keep up with the rapid movements of his hand as his balls drew up and he came with Atem's name on his tongue and he briefly wondered what Atem's cum would taste like and his dick twitched in approval at the dirty thought as it emptied his fluids onto his chest and then he was breathing heavily and he was sweaty but also pretty tired and so he cleaned himself up with the boxers he had on and tossed it to a side of the room to be dealt with later and slept commando for the remaining two hours and fifty minutes.  
And it was a good sleep indeed because he was fucking late to work and Seto was going to chew him out the minute he arrived but knowing that didn't phase him because he felt so relaxed and at peace that nothing could've bothered him.

Atem was the complete opposite.

He woke up the next morning with a throbbing headache, whether it was the effects of a hangover or the because he had a concussion was unknown. He grunted with displeasure as he made his way to the shower, every movement making his head hurt.  
He hated it and he swore off drinking for the millionth time in his life.

He was lying to himself and he knew it.  
He clung to alcohol like strippers cling to dollar bills.

He made good on his promise to Yugi though. He'd never lie to him. He spent the entire morning by the doctor going through a series of tests all of which confirmed that he had no major injuries. He was given a perfect bill of health minus his alcoholism, his crumbling mental stability and his crippling depression. In going through all those tests, it had dawned on him that he hadn't eaten breakfast so he made a stop at a diner not too far away where he and Yugi sometimes ordered food. It was the best diner in town, their burgers and milkshakes were to die for, he supposed that if he ever had to choose his last meal, he'd pick the greasy, creamy delights at Jo's.

He'd just walked in when someone yelled out his name and signaled him over. Praying to the gods that it wasn't his coworkers because one doesn't simply take a day off from work to spend time with their workmates. He considered that extremely counterproductive.

It was not his coworkers.

It was Yugi's friends and he honestly couldn't decide if that was better or worse.

He sat anyway.

"We only saw your hair from the booth and figured you were Yugi but we'd just left him at the office and we knew there was no way he'd get here this quickly." Ryou said.

"Why isn't he here?"

"He got to work late, Kaiba swamped him with a shit tonne of work. That asshole." Jou growled.

There were sounds of disgruntled agreement around the table but he couldn't get passed the fact that Yugi was stuck at work, hungry, all because he had been a self loathing jackass the night prior and Yugi -bless his sweet soul- saved him from himself. Again.

He signaled the waitress over and ordered two burgers and two shakes. To go.  
He didn't particularly want to stick around, since that game night, Yugi's friends made him feel weirdly uncomfortable and self conscious.

"Ya know Yug's order?!"

"Oh yeah, we order from here pretty often so I figured I learned what he liked."

"That's really thoughtful of ya." Jou said and drank the soda that was in front of him in a long, slow sip as he analyzed Atem in what he hoped was a subtle manner but Jou wasn't one for subtlety so he drank long and hard and looked as though he was getting the latest scoop on some good ass gossip.

Atem shifted uncomfortably and tried his best to ignore him, he figured that's how Jounouchi was at all times. Didn't make him feel any better though and it only further proved his point that Yugi's friends were fucking weird.

"So I guess that means you're going to take his lunch to him?"

"I... didn't plan to. I was going to request that you guys did for me."

"Oh, but we might be out a while and he'd probably starve to death by then...not sure he had breakfast eitha."

"Oh, well I guess I can carry it. Do you think Seto would mind?"

"Definitely not." And he smiled a brilliant, mischievous smile. 

They chatted on for a few about what they did at work and were beginning to talk about Yugi's job when the waitress returned with his food in two to-go bags and he bid them farewell and made his way to KaibaCorp.

 

"You did that on purpose." Duke said as he stole and ate one of Ryou's fries and looked at Jou with a knowing, smug expression.

"You see it don't ya?"

"You mean how smitten he is with our Yugi?" Ryou asked as he slapped Duke's hand away when he was dipping for another.

"YuP!" And Jou popped the 'p' like an excited child "And he doesn't even know it."

 

Atem showed up at KaibaCorp ten minutes later with two food baggies in hand, he didn't want to leave his in the car and run the risk of his fries getting soggy and his shake melting.

"Good afternoon sir, how can I help you?" A pretty brunette sitting behind the receptionist desk asked.

"Good afternoon, I'm here to drop this off for Yugi Motou?" And he raised the baggie a bit for her to see.

"I'll call him do-"

"Atem!"

Damn, was he popular today.

"Hi Mokuba. I just stopped by to drop some lunch for Yugi."

He smiled knowingly.

"Of course, come with me. I'll take you to his office."

Atem looked at him confused but followed anyway because you don't tell the eighteen year old co owner of a company no.  
Mokuba led him past the receptionist at the building's ground floor to an elevator and up to the building's tenth floor where another receptionist greeted them. They walked past her too.  
No point in giving your name when Seto Kaiba's little brother knew you personally.

He led him down two turns of the corridor and they finally approached a big clear office door where Yugi was sitting behind a huge office desk covered in papers and game consoles.

"See you later!" Mokuba called as he made his way back the same way they came.

He pushed open the door with his shoulder and stumbled into the office when Yugi finally looked up from his desk and noticed him. He stood up immediately and rushed to his aid to pluck a bag from his hands.

"Hey." Atem said sheepishly "I uh...I brought you lunch since it's pretty much my fault you were late and now stuck here. I'm really sorry about that."

Yugi had one of the best nights of his life and he'd gladly do it again in a heartbeat and then, to put the icing on the fucking cake, Atem's there in his office, with lunch for him. He'd hit the fucking jackpot. Atem gave him all the winning numbers and he didn't even know it.

"Totally worth it. Eat with me?"

"Can I? I mean, you're busy and at work."

"Eat with me." And it wasn't a question this time. Yugi had a big smile on his face and his expression was soft and sincere as he looked at the man he was slowly falling for or already fell for, he didn't know, didn't give a fuck, it didn't matter what stage he was at because Atem made his heart beat to a different tune than it was used to.

He was tired but he was also confident and happy and still riding his post orgasmic high until the wheels fell off.

Atem nodded and traded bags with Yugi because the one he'd taken wasn't his.

Yugi was clearing his desk and was placing his food on the newly acquired space. He peeled open his burger and "You remembered my order?" He asked, eyes wide and disbelieving.

Atem flushed and Yugi was orbiting the moon because red was a really fucking pretty color on Atem's already gorgeous golden skin.

Yugi and Atem ate together and Atem told him about his trip to the doctor and he promised Yugi he'd never do any silly shit again while apologizing a hundred times and Yugi simply brushed it off each time and focused on his meal instead of the growing heat in his stomach at Atem trusting him and thinking of him in such high regard.  
And then they were finished with their lunch and Atem watched the time and announced that he was leaving and Yugi started to panic mildly because being in Atem's presence was so peaceful and he didn't want him to go, not now, not ever.

"Please stay."

"I couldn't possibly do that, you're at work. Kaiba wouldn't be pleased."

"He never is, but really, he wouldn't mind. I'd call him and let him know if that makes you feel better."

He nodded and Yugi called Kaiba and he agreed by saying "Whatever Yugi, I don't care, just finish your job." And when Kaiba didn't hang up immediately Yugi knew what that meant and knew him well enough to take him off speaker in time for "and don't be fucking around the games, I have to touch those things." and as an afterthought "don't be fucking in the office period. There are cameras there and I’d rather never see that."  
Yugi's face flamed as he practically slammed the phone back into the holder and Atem looked at him confused but then he cleared his throat and the red tinge was gone.

"So all those papers on your desk, that's your work load for the day?"

"Yeah... I may have to take some of it home with me."

"I wish I could've helped, I feel like this is all my fault."

Yugi watched him and smiled as the light bulb over his head beamed.

"Maybe you can."

Atem was super confused as Yugi sat him down on the couch, rolled a tv over and handed him a remote before putting a game into the KaibaConsole. He then rummaged through his desk for a folder of papers and a pen and sat next to Atem as they watched the game come to life.

When the game had finished processing, Atem watched him expectantly.

"Play."

"That's it? You just want me to play? Doesn't seem all that hard."

"Oh, it gets reallllll difficult when the game's shit because no matter how shitty it is, we have to play it out. Thankfully we have the cheats, so it doesn't take as long as it normally would."

So Atem played and Yugi asked him a series of questions concerning the game and when he'd completed it, he had a pained expression on his face because that had to have been the worse fucking game he ever played in all his existence but Yugi was smiling at him because that was the fastest he'd ever ran through a game and get a report sheet done.

They'd gone through all seven games that didn't quite - absofuckinglutely didn't - meet KaibaCorp gaming standards.

 

Kaiba sauntered into his office when he was packing up to leave, his back to the door as he laid files upon his desk for Seto to go through whenever time awarded it.

"The work is completed just like you asked."

His eyebrows rose in amusement, one of the only other expressions he shows.

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I figured you'd be coming over to lecture me about coming to work late and not being able to complete my work load." He smiled and turned around to face his rival "but I finished - we finished - with time to spare." and he looked to Atem and smiled all big and goofy.

"Hmph." he rolled his eyes "I'll take those documents and go over them." And on his way out and with a nod he dismissed them "Atem. Yugi."

After he left, Yugi and Atem looked at each other in amused silence before both bursting into laughs and giggles.

In the middle of their laughing fit Atem approached Yugi to help him with his stuff, leaning in stupid close to pluck Yugi's bag from his hands and then his movement stilled as he realized just how close they were, pulling back to look at Yugi with wide eyes. Yugi felt as though he was entranced or something, it was as though he was looking out through the eyes of a video game character as he lifted a shaky hand and brushed Atem's bangs aside, which was a lot thicker today as he’d left most of it out to hide the freshly bandaged cut.

"I hope that doesn't scar" Yugi murmured as he touched it lightly causing Atem to shiver and flinch and he wasn't sure if it was from the hint of pain he felt or because of Yugi's cold fingers against his skin but his eyes bunched shut. Yugi's body moved before his mind could process what was happening as he closed the already minute space between them and pressed his lips against Atem's.

The kiss was soft and sweet and his insides exploded and let out a bunch of happy, amazing feelings. Everything was puppies and unicorns, candy and rainbows, a sickeningly sweet and perfect bubble. But then that bubble popped when Atem placed a firm hand on his chest and broke apart from him with a face contorted with shock and confusion and Yugi met him back with a face full of the same.  
Yugi was dragged out of his spell as Atem snatched his hand away from him as though the touch had burned and cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Sorry... I- I just...I’m so sorry." He stammered nervously.

"It's fine." He cleared his throat a bit to ease the awkwardness "we should probably go."

"Yes. Yes you're right." But he made no attempts to move.

He had fucked up royally and he didn't know how to proceed now that he did. He was thankful though that Atem had speared his dignity enough to not drop the bag he was holding or chucking it back at him and running out of his office, but instead keeping a firm grip on it and coaxing Yugi out the door and to the elevator.

They arrived at Yugi's car with record breaking awkwardness, neither one willing to look the other in the eye or the face for that matter.

"I guess I'll see you at home." Atem said as he extended the bag he was holding to Yugi and watching some point behind him.

"Okay." He said sounding defeated and tired, chancing a look at Atem who still refused to look at him as he took the bag from him.  
Once relieved of the weight, Atem turned and made his way to his car where he immediately got in and got going.

Yugi dropped into his car and banged his head heavily onto his steering wheel a few times, cursing at no one in particular before releasing a heavy breath and finally pulling out of his spot and leaving.


	7. Sonic Rings, Hidden and Uncovered Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, exams are on my ass and I’m trying my best to juggle my writing, reading and studying. I hope I’m forgiven.

Yugi didn't hurry home that evening, instead, he spent his time driving slowly to the grocery store, idly looking out the window at sights he passed everyday that became a blur in his mind, causing a line of traffic to pile behind him to the point where he was on the receiving end of road rage and had been cursed and flipped off more times than he could count. Trivial in the grand scheme of things. None of that bothered him when compared to the nagging voice in his mind that tormented him with Atem's name in every statement or jeer.

 

When he arrived at his home, the skies were already beginning to darken, the sun already sunk beneath the surface of the horizon, the stars littering the deep purple and blue skies in a hollow, transparent glow. He eyed the neighboring house warily as he carried bags from his car to the porch. Massive and a bit lonely. Atem's car was parked in its usual spot, always in the driveway in front of the closed garage, his lights were on albeit earlier than usual and he'd bet that if he went to open his door, it'd be unlocked. He considered going over and inviting Atem to dinner but after their awkward encounter.....he decided against it.

Sure Atem may have caught him staring one too many times and sometimes he said some compromising things that really could be taken either which way, but never had he crossed the line and stepped into physical territory of that nature. He'd overstepped the boundary line. One that he wasn't sure he could cross back. Maybe he couldn't cross back over, maybe in this game, once you're out of bounds, you're out. He wouldn't blame him.

But he didn't want to be out, he needed to redeem himself, make sure things were good between Atem and himself, but at the same time, he considered that maybe he'd done more than enough. He'd give Atem his space for the night and pray to whoever was listening for forgiveness because gods did he want this to be forgiven and forgotten.

One night turned into a week and one week became two.

Long, boring things. Dragged out and tired and haggard and lonely. His friends were there but suddenly they weren't enough. Not like Atem was. Atem filled a void he hadn't noticed he had.  
He wondered if maybe his interest and fascination stemmed from how fucked up the man was to begin with. A new project. Something to fix. Someone to help because he loved helping people. Aiding people made his heart swell and his insides burn.  
But then he'd taken on the Jounouchi and Kaiba project and though helping them had been a fascinating and exciting experience, it never quite felt as good as Atem did.  
He didn't get that nervous excitement when they finally awarded him friendship, he never felt butterflies and his dick didn't harden at the thought of their trust and the knowledge of making them happy with his aid.

 

It had been a two whole ass weeks since Yugi had arrived to work late that day and even though he'd managed to make it to work on time every day since, he'd intentionally swamped himself in his job. He'd taken a stronger initiative in his work than he normally would. The kind of determination that'd rival that of Seto Kaiba. The kind of obsessive performance that'd make him proud. The thought unsettled him and comforted him all the same. He dove head first into the distraction, filtering all of his brain juice through his fingers and mouth and into meetings and the game he was trying to design and willing it to take his mind off everything... that everything being Atem's absence.

He'd been giving Atem the space he figured he needed in hopes that eventually the man would reach out to him on his own hankering.

He didn't.

Yugi was going crazy.

He held back because space was what Atem clearly wanted. He could take a hint.

He got tired of waiting.

Yugi couldn't hold back any longer, he reached out instead. Unfortunately for him, every time he did, Atem had told him that he was busy and promised that they'd catch up as soon as time awarded it.

Yugi didn't think much of it, he knew how busy work could be but none of that mattered because Atem replied. He spoke to him. He let Atem's promise carry him through because Atem was true to his word, he always was. Right? Or wrong, possibly.

 

Even when working like a freshly oiled and serviced machine, Atem wiggled his way into his mind and into his thoughts occasionally and he groaned, digging the heel of his palm into his eyes. Jou, who had been lounging in his office on the couch casually typing on his phone mistook his frustrations about Atem for that of work.  
If only he knew.

"That's it, you've been working nonstop Yug, you're coming with us for lunch." Yugi opened his mouth, no doubt to decline when Jou added in all seriousness "That's an order."

  
Sargent major general Jounouchi is in the building ladies and gentlemen.

"Jou you know I can't, I've got these games to test." he said when he was finally able to speak.  
It wasn't a lie but it wasn't important. He could give two fucks and a buck about those games. Inconsequential things beneath his time and energy.

"There won't be a you to test these games if ya die. Ya need to eat man... and sleep too, ya look fucking awful." Jou said moving from his position on the couch to towering over him and tugging on his arm.

He hadn't been sleeping much since and he wondered if maybe it was the stress of work he carried back home with him or if it was the fact that he hadn't seen Atem in what felt like forever, but regardless of what the culprit was, the simple fact remained that he was much too tired and too weak to put up any of a fight and so he ultimately succumbed.

"Fine. One hour. That's it."

They settled on a little barbecue and grill place which doubled as a bar in a busy part of town. A little shabby place made out of wood with a cabin like theme to it, a letter missing from the sign that he didn't bother to read properly. Not really his first choice but it seemed to be a popular location among the working masses and Jou swore on his father's rotting flesh that their food was to die for. He hoped that was figurative and that he didn't die of food poisoning. The place was hardly at the standard of cleanliness he was used to. They huddled together in the booth with the cleanest tables and settled against the too firm cushioned chairs.  
Yugi complained about the place and its seeming lack of sanitation. Jou countered and said the place had character.

Charming.

They talked about nothing and everything as they waited for the waitress, a pretty girl until she opened her mouth and revealed a row of teeth riding each other as though they were huddled in a crowd at a concert, fighting for a better view. Pausing their conversation, they gave their orders and jumped right back in, starting on a topic anew.

"So... how's Atem?"

A fucking dreaded topic.

"I don't know actually." He said in feign nonchalance.

They looked at each other. Incredulous.  
"What do ya mean? Don'cha two see each other almost everyday?"

"Used to... we don't anymore. He's been busy... at least that's what he'd told me."

"Busy? With what?"

"Didn't say but every time I ask him to hang out, he tells me he's busy. We haven't spoken properly since that week he...brought... me....lunch..." He trailed off as he thought about it, trying to calculate just how long it had been. He was feeling a mixture of emotions, dread being the most prominent of them all. That day was the last day he and Atem had spent together in perfect, innocent companionship and he'd gone ahead and ruined it with his godforsaken lips. Maybe they were too dry. Maybe his mouth tasted funny or smelled bad, his burger did have onions after all. His mind was spiraling, trying to delve deeper but Jou cut through his thoughts like a hot knife through butter.

"How was that.. ya know, "lunch"?" And he asked with a suggestive tone in his voice that made Yugi suspicious.

"It was fine, he brought me lunch from Jo's, we ate and he stayed with me all evening helping me test some games."

"That's it?" Duke asked.

"Well yeah? We were at work, we had lunch, what else could we have done? I have glass doors for fucksake." Irritation spiked his voice just a bit, not really towards his friends but himself because despite his glass doors, he'd been real up close and fucking personal for that moment.

That moment that had fucked everything up.  
He blamed the devil and his influence. It was better than blaming himself.

"I mean, I'm not saying you had to jump his bones in the office but a guy you like goes to your job with lunch for you-"

"-With your exact order" Ryou cuts in.

"And you don't even kiss or meet up somewhere afterward? You could've jumped his bones at home... he lives right over the street dude."

He ignored the last comment, focusing on the fact that Ryou knew what Atem had ordered.

"How did you guys know he knew my order?" Eyes shrinking into little slits.

Silence

"You guys sent him?!?" And then his little bubble popped and disintegrated because despite his combating emotions he thought that Atem had taken it upon himself to drop lunch for him because maybe, just maybe he cared for him more than he wanted to admit.

"Look...he clearly likes you, we can see it, ya grandfather can see it, fuck, even Seto can see it and robots shouldn't be able to process emotions or spot them for that matter. The only persons who don't see it, is you two. We figured that he just needed a push in the right direction, ya know?"

Fuck the devil. He blamed his friends instead.  
If they didn't send Atem, they'd be fine all now. As fine as things can be considering he was beginning to lose his mind keeping his feelings to himself but still... fine.

Yugi groaned as he buried his face into his hands.  
He was fighting an internal battle with his mind on the subject of whether or not Atem really did feel that way about him. Everyone seemed to think he did but then, why'd he get super awkward and uncomfortable when they'd kissed?

It was a confusing dilemma.

On one hand, he doubted it completely but then sometimes Atem would do something really sweet, like whenever he slept over, he'd stay with him because he 'didn't want to leave him alone', or cook him food, or watch the stupid movies he wanted to even if he hated it and then there were times he'd respond to one of his suggestive comments with one just as bawdy as his had been.

He'd really, realllllyyyy hoped that Atem's reason for bringing him lunch that day had to do with a little more than friendship and gods, when they'd shared that moment with him oh so close and their lips finally touching... well, he could've believed it then, that even for just a second, Atem felt the same way he did.

 

"Sorry to burst your bubble but I don't think he does Jou." But it was actually his bubble that popped, busted wide open and torn to shreds "we kinda, sorta had a moment. I mean I had a moment I suppose. We were both up in each other's personal space, like his face was so close to mine for a moment and I brushed his bangs away and I touched his face way too slow and way too fondly."

"That's good... what happened after?" Duke asked.

He sighed a deep, heavy, terribly fucking troubled sigh.

"Then I kissed him and he broke it and cleared his throat and said we should go" he cringed at that "it was awkward as fuck guys. Holy fuck, like do you think he's avoiding me? Holy, flaming hot wheels full of shit orbiting the mother fucking moon. What if he doesn't speak to me ever again. Oh my fu-"

"Okay dude, calm down, shit. Drink some water or something." Duke interrupted.

"Definitely not."

He signaled their waitress over.

"Hi... sorry for the wait, I'll go check on your food." He waved her apologies off so he could get her to put away those crazy teeth, eating was the last thing on his mind.

"Can you bring me a glass of wine instead of my fruit punch? Any kind of moscato is fine."

 

"He's avoiding me." He said to himself. "He's avoiding me... how didn't I notice sooner? I mean, I knew that maybe he needed space to think through whatever but fuck, he's ignoring me. He wants absolutely nothing to do with me now."

"You don't know that for sure man...maybe he's just really busy."

Yugi looked at him unconvinced. He needed to fix this. He longed to have Atem in his life, desperate even. He wanted him to be something more than a friend but if he had to choose between having him as a friend and not having him at all, well.... you know what he'd decide on.  
Atem needed him too and he knew it, he didn't want to think about how far he'd go if he didn't have some type of support system and Yugi was it, his support system. But as much as Atem needed Yugi, Yugi needed him a lot more.

 

He'd known the man for over three months, spending almost everyday together, getting to know him in his most relaxed state and in his most vulnerable and though he was no where done with learning and discovering, he was already in love with the guy he knew and he finally admitted it to himself. What he felt for Atem was much more than some fleeting emotions and lust that'd go away once he got his fill, more than some puzzle to piece together or a broken soul to fix.... he was a person. A kind, genuinely sweet, little rough and fucked around the edges kind of person and Yugi wanted him so much that it fucking hurt sometimes, but not in a bad way, but in the way that reminds you that you're alive.  
Atem made him feel alive and he'd hoped that to Atem, he made him want to be.

 

"I'll call him then, let's see if he'd pick up."

Determination shone in his eyes but deep down, he was scared, scared of the truth that maybe Atem really was avoiding him and wanted nothing more to do with him.

The waitress arrived at their table with their meals and his wine before he could call and he was so grateful to see her, shitty teeth aside, that he thanked whatever god was watching him for their impeccable timing as he took a big gulp of liquid courage and pressed the screen.

He sat nervously with the phone on speaker, drumming his fingers and watching as it did its thing. It rang once before he heard Atem's deep voice "Hey, sorry I can't come to the ph-"

He looked at his friends with bulging eyes that screamed "see!!!"

"Maybe his fingers slipped and he touched the wrong thing." Ryou offered weakly but the wine was buzzing in his system so he accepted the half assed excuse and he decided to try again.

It didn't even ring this time when it went "Hey, so-"

Voicemail.  
He sent his call straight to the fucking voicemail like garbage taking a dive to the trash and worst of all, his friends were there to witness it.

He locked his phone and turned it down on the table, watching the back of the device with dread.  
He should chuck the damn thing.  
It wasn't the phone's fault.

  
He decided not to.

  
He lifted his wine robotically and took another drink before picking at his fries absentmindedly. He wasn't thinking about anything, not even his movements, his body moved on their volition. He was numb to the world and all within it. Sounds were just empty, incoherent noises and scents didn't smell like anything. He ate the food without tasting, unable to judge its quality and if it was worth the food poisoning he might ultimately get. He was lost in oblivion until pale fingers snapped him out of his somber. He was feeling sorry for himself and his friends felt sorry for him too, it was written all over their faces.

"Hey, don't give up yet. Don't write him off just yet... march up to his house and demand the answers ya deserve. If he's going to abandon ya, ya deserve to know why."

"Yeah Yugi and as much as it pains me to say this, Jounouchi is right. You shouldn't give up so easily." Duke offered.

"Honestly Yugi, you should just tell him how you feel even if he's planning to cut you out of his life. You should clear your chest and your conscience, it'll make you feel better. At this point you have nothing to lose." Ryou added in encouragement

His friends, heavens bless their souls, were the sweetest, most encouraging and loving pack of nerds he'd ever met and they were right. What did he have to lose if Atem wanted nothing to do with him anyway? He'd just say his piece and get it done and over with.

He left work early that evening knowing he had work to do and a deadline to meet but he said fuck it to hell because Atem was just as important to him, maybe even more so. He knew Kaiba would be more than displeased but he also knew that he'd deal with it.

Yugi knew Atem's schedule long before he became acquainted with the man so when he got home at three thirty, he knew he had about a forty five minute wait depending on the state of the traffic, maybe more if he decided to make a few stops and knowing that made him nervous.  
He paced his room as he thought of all the possible ways the conversation could go, briefly considered writing it down and then deciding against it. One wrong thing and shit could go left faster than you could say izquierda.

Ten minutes.

Ten minutes again until Atem's car could possibly roll into his driveway.

He was a nervous wreck.

He took a deep breath to calm his spazzing moods and made his way over the street to sit on the porch in his spot. If Atem was really avoiding him, there's no way he could get into the house without Yugi seeing him and approaching him. He couldn't hide from him or ignore him today and that was a promise. To himself anyway. Atem made no such vow.

Atem got home five minutes later than Yugi had anticipated and all the gusto he'd talked himself into earlier deflated. He sat in his corner quietly as Atem got himself and his stuff out the car painstakingly slow and still completely oblivious to anyone watching or waiting for him before turning, locking his car - he locked his car and not his house, ass backward - and making his way to the house. He spotted Yugi on the porch and paused, they held eye contact for a long moment, showing each other down like they did in those western films, waiting to see who'd draw their gun and shoot first.

Atem shot first.

He broke eye contact and did the dumbest shit ever, making a one eighty and heading back to the car, catching Yugi completely off guard.

' _What the fuck? Did he really just do that?'_ Yugi thought.

No, no. Thoughts aren't needed right now, words are.

"What the - hey!" And Atem halted by the car and sighed, turning to watch the little man in his gallery, no longer seated and looking small, but standing and commanding attention and their eyes met briefly for a second, shorter than their previous standoff before Atem turned away, unlocked his car, got in and begun to back out the driveway.

Yugi was frozen in place by shock but the panic of seeing Atem's car rolling into the street forced his legs into action as he hurriedly descended the stairs and ran to the car yelling  "Hey! Hey!! I need to speak to you so how about you get back here and tell me wh- Atem!"

He yelled out as the car was set in drive and rolling away from him. Time slowed as Yugi stood there with his heart racing and his eyesight beginning to blur and he felt the panic that consumed his body try to find escape in the form of bile raising in his throat.  
Yugi felt sick to his core and he ran back home, his heavy, hurried feet barely making it to the bathroom as he heaved and wretched into toilet.

He fell back onto his butt and stared at the toilet in a blind haze as tears streamed from his eyes. He'd lost him. Atem looked him right in the eye and without a single word, broke his heart. He wanted to hate him, he really wanted to but he was too tired to feel anything besides pity for himself.

It was just a fucking kiss.

 

"Yugi" there was a soft knock on the door as his grandpa walked in and stood by his grandson. It had been years since he'd seen him like this, since his parents had left in that car and never came back and it hurt him so much to see him in this way that he bent his protesting knees and sat next to Yugi on the floor, pulling him into a tight hug and assuring him that everything would be alright.

Yugi was crying and he didn't know why. Not exactly anyway. Atem wanted nothing to do with him, he'd made that crystal clear but the fact that he'd driven off...had wanted to escape him that badly.... It was like he was some vile, disgusting creature and if he got too close, he'd contract something. That fucking stung.

 

When Yugi had cried until his tear ducts dried up, he carefully assisted his grandfather, helping the old man to his feet and leading him to bed. Tucked in and overcome by the tiredness of age, sleep was quickly tugging at his consciousness. He had no clue what had gotten Yugi so rilled up before but he was certain it had something to do with the Egyptian that lived across the street. He didn't know what to say and he didn't want to leave Yugi in the state he was in, but he was old and sleep cared not for his feelings so he squeezed Yugi's hand firmly and held his gaze for a few before his lids begun dropping with the weight of exhaustion resting upon them and he hoped that Yugi knew that he wasn't alone and that no matter what, he was loved and that things would be okay.

 

Yugi watched his grandfather fall asleep in record breaking time and gently removed his hand from the now loose grip it was in before making his way to his porch. His mind milled as he watched the empty house and he wished his mother was there. He didn't know her, hell, he couldn't even remember her face, but for the first time in a long time, he wished he had a mother to hold his hand and tell him what to do because she dated boys too.

He sat patiently, unwilling to go inside until Atem's car returned home. He didn't know if it would. Time mattered little as he sat and watched and waited and it could've been hours or minutes that had passed but the relief he felt when the familiar black car pulled into it's spot in the dead of night in the neighboring yard, he let out a breath that he felt like he'd been holding since Atem had left earlier.

Atem hurried inside like sonic chasing those golden rings, probably trying to escape before Yugi could jump out at him from behind some bushes and demand answers. A thought he had considered executing.

Yugi sat on his porch silently as he watched the house with a pained expression, the man who'd hurt him but who could also take his pain away in an instant, right beyond those walls and he had to resist the urge to march over there and open the door that he was ninety percent positive, was unlocked. He had been sitting and fighting with himself and was just about to turn in for the night when Atem hurried out the house just as quickly as he entered it with a big suitcase in tow that he hastily chucked into his car. He ran back into the house and stuck something on the door that Yugi couldn't see before he locked it - a monumental moment in history- and left in his car once more.

Yugi stared at the house for a while longer before finally retiring to his bed where sleep did not welcome him with a warm embrace and dreams didn't caress his mind with pleasant images. He tossed and turned in bed all night with Atem's name at the tip of his tongue and Atem's face in every angle of his dreams as he watched him, here one minute and gone the next.

The next morning came quick but not quickly enough as he dragged his exhausted body and well beaten mind to get ready for work. He was halfway into his car, leg in, leg out as he looked over the street. Atem's car wasn't in the driveway and he didn't expect it to be, but he felt drawn to the house anyway. He stepped back out and made his way to the house, slowly ascending the stairs he'd practically sprinted down as he attempted to stop him from leaving.  
Maybe he should've tried harder?  
He looked at the seat he sat in yesterday , the one he always sat in before glancing at the door and noticing a fluorescent green sticky note stuck onto it.

'I'm sorry' two simple words in Atem's handwriting was all the note contained. His heart clenched and softened and he felt pathetic for it. If Atem wanted to apologize, he'd do it in person. He huffed in defiance and was about to tear the note to shreds before deciding otherwise, angrily stuffing it into his pocket, going home and getting back into his car and to the job that payed him.


	8. Flight with an Internal Fight

A kiss.

A simple act of pressing one's lips against another person or object in a show of affection.

A kiss.

It's shared between kids, friends, family, lovers.

No biggie

A kiss.

It can go from sheer innocence to extreme, scalding intimacy in a matter of minutes.

Yugi had _kissed_ him.

Biggie.

It was just a little kiss. One that had him touching his lips where Yugi's had been not too long ago, enraptured by the feel of it, as though Yugi's were still pressed there.

A ghost of a kiss.

It was brief and sweet but lingering. Lingering all the way from the Kaiba Corp office to his home, from the shower to where he sat on his bed. He could feel Yugi there still against him and his heart clobbered a bat against his rib cage in an attempt to escape.

 

He'd always suspected that Yugi may have housed some feelings for him when he managed to catch onto a suggestive comment, a flirt, or feel the heat of Yugi's lingering stare burning into his skin, memorizing every feature as though he'd somehow forget what Atem looked like.

He was accustomed to the stares, the lingering looks, the brief check out but he wasn't accustomed to _that_. That intense _look_ drenched in interest and dripping with desire and want and Yugi wanted him, he could tell, he could feel it radiating off him like heat on metal. He couldn't remember when last someone looked at him with desire like that, if ever.

 

He knew he was playing with fire when he'd flirt back, when he'd stare at him just as intensely, when he'd stay on a chair nearby and watch him sleep anytime he stayed the night because really, who played with fire if they didn't secretly crave the burn anyway?

He couldn't remember if he ever felt such a magnetic pull to any being as strong as the one that had drawn their lips together for that blissful moment.

Mountains had moved, birds soared and dolphins flipped and danced across the ocean and then, then it came to a screeching halt because his mind was a cruel, cruel thing that he was certain hated him as much as he sometimes hated himself.

His mind hurled insults at him that weren't insults in the slightest but the ugly, dirty truth and the mountains crumbled to rubble and dust and the birds fell out of the sky one by one in a bloodied heap of decay and the dancing dolphins became shark food, nothing more than another part of the food chain, and so he pushed away, literally and figuratively and he felt alone and cold and he missed _him_.

 

He wondered when he started to relish the heat over the cold, dead chill that he used to dwell in. He didn't like it anymore, perhaps he never did. It was all he knew. A solitude he'd grown accustomed to and forced to be comfortable with. Yugi barged in and replaced it in a matter of weeks. He infiltrated his every space and made himself a home. Yugi was heat and light and everything fucking _good_.

He needed him. Depended on him even. He was the lifeline holding him to a life he didn't really want. Not when he was alone anyway.

 

But he couldn't, he couldn't hold onto Yugi and his comfort and his home and his happiness and his .... He just couldn't hold on.

 

He was a canvas painted in the darkest of colors, a dreary thing that made you sad when you looked at it. That infiltrated your mind and altered your feelings and made you just as dull and dark and sullen. He was an individual fucked in the mind and soul and he was afraid that he'd contaminate the only good thing he'd had in a while. He should leave. He should sell the house, move back to Egypt maybe. Far away so that his caliginous aura didn't fuck everything over.

He'd have to say goodbye to Yugi, goodbye to his comfort, his solitude, his friend.

A small price to pay if it'd save him.

He was at a loss and he needed to think.

He needed to fucking think or else he'd explode. He needed to be alone in his dark fortress of loneliness, of dead solitude, of unhappy comfort because that's what he knew and that's where he thrived. That's where he belonged. He didn't belong to the light that was Yugi fucking Motou. He'd taint it. He'd ruin it like he ruined everything. Like his father told him he did.

 

His hands move from his lips and into his hair, gripping and tugging at the strands until they hurt, until he tore some hair from his scalp and his eyes prickled with the sensation of the self inflicted pain.

 

His door was unlocked. He knew it was. He never bothered to lock it unless he was going to bed and sometimes even then, he didn't.

It was like a silent invitation to Yugi to let him know he was always welcome.

Always.

And oh did he wish Yugi would take him up on his unspoken offer. He wished he'd barge in and just, well, he didn't know.

He didn't know anything. His mind was mush. A slush of brain meat, blood and bones.

He was conflicted and he was breaking, he was fucking tearing apart.

 

He needed a drink.

 

He promised.

 

He _needed_ a fucking drink.

 

It was a promise to himself but promises to himself hardly mean anything to him.

He hardly meant anything to him.

 

And then he was down the stairs and in his bar. He was already there so why not?

He drank.

 

He drank until his vision was hazy but oddly, his mind had cleared. He could think perfectly. So perfectly that he passed out. So much for a sharp mind, so sharp, it cut into his consciousness.

He woke up on the counter of his in-house bar with no clue how he even ended up lying there and a headache forming at the back of his eyes, yelling at him to shut the damn things.

He didn't.

He was a sucker for pain, for punishment. It was deserving, he felt as though he earned it somehow.

 

His week was much of the same after that. Creature of habit he was. Broke one, another one formed in it's place.

 

Work, home, _drink_. Repeat.

 

A routine he'd grown quite accustomed to until Yugi approached him two weeks later looking nervous and wide eyed and fucking beautiful and he panicked, left, came back hours later, panicked some more, packed a suitcase -not a fucking duffle, but a suitcase- and left again because being around Yugi broke his resolve and he needed to save him from himself.

 

He didn't have a single destination in mind or a single friend to crash by. His only friend was now the thing he ran away from.

 

As Atem now stood in the doorway of his motel room, he concluded that it was probably in his best interest to make plans of some sort before hastily leaving his home.

Maybe getting a room at a _nice_ hotel, maybe flight because he had a whole ass suitcase packed with shit to last a month, possibly a fucking cruise or how about a trip to Atlantis or the Bermuda Triangle?

But no. There he stood.

 

The motel room was small, there was a bed and a little kitchenette so close to each other that he could lay in bed and cook breakfast. Through the kitchen - yes, you had to walk through the fucking 'kitchen' - was a little adjoining room that was a bathroom that was just as close that he could probably flip pancakes while he showered or took a leak.

It was late and he was tired. It would have to do. He dragged his stuff into the room behind him, setting them down and making his way to check out the bathroom. Small thing with tiles so dry they looked a frosty, dirty white.

Atem clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth and pivoted, making his way back to the bed in barely five steps and oh - there was a rat in the corner of the room standing on its hind legs and looking at him dead in the eyes, sizing him up and he had no doubt that if the dirty little thing could hold a knife, it would press it to his throat and demand his organs or food. It must've figured his organs were saturated in alcohol and he wasn't worth jack shit before making it's leave through a hole in the wall.

 

Atem looked at the now vacant spot in the corner, then at the bed, the 'kitchen', the whole fucking insult of a room. Was he really supposed to sleep on that bed with the looming threat of the rat returning, on that execution block of a mattress, within the sheets that could most definitely be crawling with bed bugs and possibly littered and stained with cum and saturated with sweat? Was he supposed to find comfort here over his king sized canopy bed at home with a mattress as soft as feathers and clouds and wisps of smoke that floated you off into the tender caress of sleep and beautiful dreams?

 

He'd fucked up to the highest rank a fuck could go. He'd fucked himself over when he returned home and packed his bag with no destination in mind.

All this to get away from Yugi?

For fucking what?

 

_"Because you're a brave coward" his mind provided._

 

He wanted to argue that he wasn't brave but he wasn't in the mood to converse with himself at that moment. He needed to go.

He flipped the room the bird as he grabbed his things and made his way onto the balcony and into the cold night only to be punched in the face by the sour smell of piss angrily parting through his nose hairs to infiltrate his senses.

How did he not smell this before?

He huffed and hurried down the shaky staircase and rounded the corner at the bottom, heading inside the small room beyond to the little old lady seated behind and equally old desk.

 

"Checking out so soon?"

"Yes, I'm afraid that the room doesn't quite meet the standards of the picture posted online."he said, showing her his phone for further emphasis.

"My apologies. Would you like to have another room perhaps?"

He contained the urge to roll his eyes.

What he'd like is to burn the filthy fucking building to the ground.

"No, just dropping off the keys. Have a good night."

 

Atem groaned as he approached his car, flinging his shit into the trunk and plopping heavily into the driver’s seat. He resisted the urge to scream. His life was a dumpsterfire with flames that didn't go out with the coldness of his existence but instead grew and burned brighter as terrible things piled up because he _always_ had some shit to add.

 

He unlocked his phone. No missed calls. No messages. Not that he expected any.

 

He looked at the phone without really seeing it as he remembered that day he and Yugi played chess in the backyard after he'd wheeled himself over to his house to scold him for running away from his friends and staying away for three days.

***

 

_"So, how do you feel about bondage?" Yugi asked casually as Atem moved one of his chess pieces across the board, taking one of his with it._

 

_Game immediately forgotten as shock took him over in all entirety. Atem's eyes were the size of saucers and his mouth was open._

_Yugi had a small s_ mirk on his face and was yet to look up from _the board as he studied what his counter move should be._

_Atem's brain had fully shutdown and restarted a few times before he finally expressed his most brilliant thought._

 

_"What?" He asked, eyes large and not seeming like they'd shrink soon._

  _"Bondage. You know, being tied up? How do you feel about it?" Yugi watched as Atem made a move without really thinking and his smirk grew wider._

  _"I don't... why?!?"_  

_"Hmmm" Yugi hummed as he made his move and claimed the piece Atem clumsily moved previously "I was just thinking of ways I could keep you from running away when my friends come over again."_

 

_Atem rolled his eyes and reset their size and Yugi seemed pleased at having gotten him riled up in the first place._

 

_"Bondage won't be necessary, I promise I'll stick around to meet them properly next time."_

_"I'd appreciate that and maybe I can meet yours in return? It's only fair if you have to put up with mine."_

_"Oh.. ummm" Yugi looked up at that, finally tearing his eyes away from the board to study Atem who looked slightly uncomfortable at the mention of his friends._

 

_"I should've shut my shit." Yugi thought._

 

_He was just about to renounce his statement when Atem spoke._

 

_"I haven't spoken to my family or friends in almost a year and they're all in Egypt. I'm really sorry I don't have anyone for you to meet."_

_"You really shouldn't be apologizing to me, I’m the one that’s sorry and it's quite fine, you don't have to meet my friends if you really don't want to, yeah?"_

 

_And Atem nodded and it was a sweet, innocent thing. He looked small and vulnerable and Yugi despised himself for taking advantage of the situation but he wanted to know more about Atem and now was the chance to do so._

 

_"So, a year? Why so long?"_

_"I'd made a habit of calling every two weeks, sometimes once every month to check in on them, catch up, make sure everything was alright and then something happened and I didn't call for a month and then one month turned to two" he spoke, eyes focused on the game board in front of him and brows furrowed in concentration but he made no effort to move , "and then it dawned on me that if I didn't call, they wouldn't either. So I stopped calling completely and they didn't care and so I decided that I didn't either.", he shrugged and finally made a move._

_"I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but a year is a really long time." Yugi frowned "regardless, maybe you should reach out again and talk to them about it?"_

 

_Atem had simply shrugged in response when he made his last move and Yugi smiled triumphantly at him as he moved his piece and said "Checkmate!", winning his second game in a row._

 

***

His vision refocused on the screen and saw that the time was 7:48 pm in California.

Egypt was roughly nine hours ahead.

His finger hovered uncertainly over the call button, nervous hands shaking slightly and his palms began to sweat. He let out a frustrated sigh. Even when Yugi wasn't there, he was, helping him, advising him, comforting him and just the thought of him and his comfort felt real and plausible enough in that moment that he finally touched the green key on his phone screen.

The phone rang once, twice, four times and with each ring he felt more uncertain, nervous.

What was he even going to say? It's been almost a year, should he start the conversation by demanding answers or should he start with casual small talk in attempts to catch up? Maybe he should hang up.

It's ring six. Maybe he called a bit too early and he preferred to think that was the reason instead of the one his brain was screaming at him. And then there was an answer.

 

"Atem?!?" the sleepy voice said with a hint of confusion and surprise.

"Hey Mana." He said casually as he buzzed with a surge of emotions.

He hadn't realized how much he missed her until he heard her voice and it was like a trigger that set warmth through him to pool at his chest, not in the intense way that Yugi did, but nice and similar enough.

"Holy shit Atem. You do know it's about five am over here right? Why'd you call me this earlyyyyyy? Is everything okay?" She whined into the phone like a child that had been told that _'no, you can't go to the mall with your friends because you decided to fail math this semester'._

"No I'm fine really, was just checking in. I should probably let you get back to rest now, huh?"

And when she readily agreed, he couldn't help the disappointment that washed through him where the warmth once was. He knew that it was early and he knew that his cousin would want her sleep but he also wanted to be selfish and he wished that she'd damn sleep to hell just to speak to him because she missed him and she worried for him and she loved him, but maybe she felt none of those things and he was just a nuisance that woke her way too early to speak about nothing.

 

She hung up and it was like she took all sound with her, encasing him in a vacuum of deafening silence with nothing to fill the void but his breathing.

He felt worse than before. He shouldn't have called. He shouldn't have hoped, he shouldn't have expected anything because expectations lead to disappointment and he was disappointed.

He was alone again, no calls; no texts, nobody. No one cared. He shouldn't have survived.

What was the point?

 

He wondered if this is how his father had felt after his mother had died. Isolated and abandoned and unloved with no one to check in and ensure he was okay. He wondered if it wasn't so much for his mother dying but the loneliness of it all that weighed him down and guided him to the bottle while the violent outbursts were just an outcry for help, an outcry for someone to show him they cared and if that was the case, then he was like his father in every sense of the word as the loneliness took his hand, guided it to the ignition and kept a firm grip on him as it drove him to a nearby bar.

 

He knew mixing drinks would only fuck him up further and what did he do? He mixed the fucking drinks.

He drank whisky and then vodka, he took two shots of tequila and a lick of salt and a suck of lime. He felt hazy in a way that was comfortable.

Numb to the pain and emotions he'd allowed himself to feel, well that's what he made himself believe anyway because if he was numb, he wouldn’t be feeling as empty as he did. 

 

_Void._

 

He fished out his phone, bringing the screen to life by touching the side button and sighed when only his wallpaper and the time looked back at him. He pressed it, darkening the screen before lighting it up once again as though he expected something to change, as though if he watched it hard enough, it'd ring and Mana's name or - he hoped, he fucking hoped - Yugi's would flash across the screen.

No such thing happened of course but that didn't stop him from unlocking the phone and opening his messenger app and the most recent recipient stood out to him, in a sea of messages from service providers, his only friend.

His last message to him only two days ago.

 

**From Yugi:**

**Haven't seen you in a while, I really hope you're okay and you get an ease with work soon.**

 

**To Yugi:**

**I'm okay, I hope you are as well. Work has me really swamped though so I don't know when we can meet. I'll tell you as soon as I can.**

 

He sighed and locked the phone again. He didn't want to read that, he didn't want to think about Yugi because he knew he hurt him and he knew that those messages were probably that last messages he'd ever get from him because of that little stunt he pulled. He didn't didn't want to think about him because he shouldn't, because he was staying away from him for his own good because he should be leaving and he didn't need him to be any more attached. He didn't want to think about Yugi because he knew how Yugi felt for him and he was starting to realize that he felt something too and it only hurt more because he knew they couldn't act on it. He didn't want to think about Yugi because he kissed him.

They kissed.

But he was thinking about Yugi and only Yugi in his mental squabble and he wasn't thinking about the hand that had risen to his lips in the process, feeling the ghost of the kiss that still lingered there.


	9. Trigger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Thank God for the weekend  
> I'ma go out with my friends, I'd rather let the liquor sink in  
> Than the thoughts of you that I should not be thinking  
> When I'm with someone else, it's feeling like I'm cheating” - Normani ft 6lack - Waves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little reminder babies, that it’s okay to be who you are. Never let anyone make you question yourself no matter what it is or who it is. That shit can tear you in two, it really can.

... 

_"Name something that follows the word 'pork'"_

_"-upine." the man responded with blazing confidence._

_"Holy -!" There was a snort and sputtering followed by a round of coughing that snatched Yugi's eyes from the television and onto the choking man next to him._

_"Are you okay?" He asked and he was met with a stoney glare that said 'what do you think?'_

_"Right" he muttered, eyes wide and filled with concern, already making his way toward the kitchen for a glass of water lest he be silently scolded again._

_When Yugi returned with the water, he felt as though he'd offered the man the secrets of immortality with how quickly he snatched it up and gulped it down, patting his chest in the process to clear the food fragments that had stuck there._

_His life had been saved. Bless the gods!_

_"Why do you insist on watching these shows?" He whined when he finally found his breath somewhere under the food he unceremoniously swallowed, eyes bloodshot and still wet from his earlier coughing fit._

_"Because they're fun?"_

_"BeCaUsE THeY'rE fUn" he mocked "Yugi, I'm pretty sure one of my brain cells just died and went to the top tier of hell. That guy said 'upine'. 'Upine'!!!!!' What the hell is a 'upine'?!?'_

_"A word that goes after pork -ow!" He laughed as he was hit with a flying throw pillow that he'd barely managed to shield from._

_"I'll revoke your tv rights one day. I think we'll have to battle for it, you don't deserve to have any remote privileges whatsoever." He huffed and air filled his cheeks like a fat, adorable chipmunk._

_"Good luck trying to beat me then, you may as well get used to the idea of watching whatever I want to." He rebutted, sticking his tongue out childishly, earning himself an eye roll and an aggressive burger bite for his taunt._

_"Careful you choke on that again."  he was concerned but he was taunting._

_"Yeah yeah, whatever." He said and flipped Yugi a soaring bird._

 ...

 

"Y..g..., Yu..." *snap* "Yugi!"

"Huh?" 

"Yug, what's wrong? I thought ya loved this show?" Jounouchi asked, concern etched into every crease on his face.

"I do, I just got a little distracted, sorry Jou."

"You were thinkin' bout him, weren't ya?"

He wanted to deny it, wanted to lie and say that he had simply zoned out with nothing important on his mind because he could definitely do without the pitiful stares of everyone around him. They were there when Atem denied his call and the next day, they coaxed him into telling them what went down that evening Atem fled the scene and they saw the way he crumbled. He cried the same way he did the night before, wounded and raw.

They told him then and he had no doubts that Jounouchi would tell him now that he was being in denial if he denied it - because he was - and that it's okay to feel because that's how you get over things such as heartbreak.

But his heart wasn't the only thing broken, his soul was too, his sense of self was torn and he was in the middle of a sexuality crisis. He felt dirty, like he was housing a contagious disease and he tried to keep to himself as much as possible lest he spread it.

 

Like one can contract gayness. Fucking silly.

 

He knew his friends accepted him for who he was and that they had no issues with his sexuality but he wondered if Atem had never known - it certainly never came up - or if he knew and it didn't bother him until Yugi made the moves on him.

He should've kept his goddamn lips to himself. 

Realizing he hadn't answered the question and Jounouchi was looking at him like he was a kicked puppy, he clenched his jaw and wrapped his mind dispute into bubble wrap and stored it in a box to deal with it later.

"I couldn't help it, we watched this show a lot." He shrugged and tried his best to appear nonchalant.

"Do ya wanna watch something else, or do somethin' else then? How bout a duel?"

"No, I'm okay with the show, really. I just....I just can't stop thinking about him I guess. I can't stop worrying about him. He's been gone two days now and even though he hurt me or whatever, I can't help but hope that he's okay...."

"Ya know it's okay ta care right. It's not a bad thing, that's just how you are. Ya care for others even when they don't do the same for ya and it fuckin' sucks sometimes because that opens ya up ta so much hurt but Yugi, that's who you are and I wouldn't judge ya for it. In fact, I think it makes ya pretty shittin' great so don't worry, ya liked him a lot so at this point it's only second nature that you'll worry."

He still likes him a lot though. That didn't change.

"I miss him Jou-kun. I miss him and it makes me feel silly." He groaned from behind his palm where he hid his face and squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn't dare breakdown and cry another time.

"You're not silly Yug. You're a sweet guy with a heart of gold and a carin' soul and if he can't see that, then he's the silly one."

"Thanks Jou." He mummbled.

They sat in silence for a bit but silence and sitting still was never really Jounouchi's thing so he decided to speak. 

"I think I've had more than enough of this show though, some of these people are......well, mmmm, how about cartoons?"

 "No, he loves cartoons."

 _'Because cartoons are the fucking pinnacle of television of course!_ _'_ Atem had told him once.

"Alright, food network? We can watch chopped and the cake bakin' competition! That's interestin', right?" He asked, while flipping through the channel guide "And safe?" he mumbled and prayed Atem didn't have a thing for watching people cook too. He just wanted to comfort his friend and he didn't need a constant reminder jumping out at every goddamn corner.

"Yeah, yeah, let's watch that."

He heaved a sigh of relief because the gods listened to his half baked - pun intended -prayer and granted him his wish.

They watched episode on top of episode of food being cooked and an insult of a serving being decorated and presented. They also watched Buddy make colossal moving cakes, that were stacked and mounted with other, well detailed cakes into unbelievable designs until outside was dark and Jounouchi was stifling yawns in his hands in a failed attempt to be inconspicuous.

"Jou, you know you don't have to stay here with me right? I'll be fine."

"Oh I know but I want to. Grandpa's back in Domino and Ate- he, isn't here so I figured you'd appreciate the company."

"You can say his name, I won't crumble and thank you, for carrying grandpa to the airport today and I do appreciate your company."

"Great! Happy to help, now let's go to bed, ya got that meeting in the morning. Goodnight Yug!"

"Goodnight Jou-kun"

 

Sleep didn't come easy for him that night, hadn't for the past two weeks and however many days - he'd lost count after day one because time mattered little when you're falling apart and your brain is too tired to keep up - and the fact that there was an important meeting pressing on his shoulders didn't help soothe his nerves and his worries any. Sure he'd been working on the new game design nonstop since he'd kissed Atem, sure his pitch and his project was prepared for the meeting but emotionally, he just wasn't there. He was drained. Tired and wistful and he was sure that it showed. He hoped it wouldn't be obvious when the morning came around and he was addressing the board.

He should just close his eyes and get some sleep.

Instead he laid awake in bed like a worried mother fretting over her young. His young.

He snorted and almost laughed at the comparison.

Atem wasn't his young but he sure looked after him sometimes like he was. He was concerned and he was scared. He knew Atem and his self destructive nature and he didn't know whether to take the lack of phone calls from the police station as a sign of good faith or not.

Atem could be out of the country for all he knew, he did have a suitcase after all.

It did him no good to worry.

That didn't stop him from worrying all the same though.

He peeled himself out of the sheets and tip toed to his closet across the room, with eyes long adjusted to the dark and prior knowledge of his surroundings, he made it to the closet without falling, tripping or stepping on any obstacles. He opened the closet, revealing his stack of games, running his fingers lovingly over the different packages and stopping when he touched a familiar, worn out box that he'd conveniently stuffed at the bottom.

...

 

_"So, which color do you want?"_

_"The black, I think it's only fitting."_

_"How so?"_

_"Yami." He said_

_"What?" And he was perplexed at the randomness of it all._

_"I'm Yami so I guess that makes you my Hikari. We're Yin and Yang."_

_"I don't see you that way."_

_"I do. I don't see it as a bad thing though, I think we balance each other out in a good way."_

_"Yeah?" Yugi asked, trying to mask his smile and his blush by focusing on setting up the chess board in front of him. He didn't dare look up._

_"Yeah." He replied, watching Yugi and hiding a smile of his own._

...

 

"Gods Atem, please come back home, I don't know how long I can be your Hikari without my Yami. I'm slipping, I'm just not me lately" he sighed, deep and dramatic "You made me question myself and I hate you for it but at the same time, I can't....I can't hate you because you made me love you." He whispered into the silence of the room and didn't get a response, not that he expected one. He did however, expect to feel a little better and he did not.

 

He woke up the next morning on his bed with a stiff back and an arm full of chess board and it was the most decent nap he'd gotten since Atem's departure.

The comfort of games and good memories.

 

He arrived at work early, which was unusual for Jounouchi who grumbled the entire way there. It was a marvel Kaiba didn't fire him yet.

Jou wished him luck and gave him a big hug and told him he'd be waiting on the couch in his office - yes, Yugi's office, like he didn't have a job to do - to hear how things went.

 

Yugi took a deep breath and set into the meeting with new found determination. He was ready for this. He knew what he wanted and he knew what he was going to say. He'd sell this to the board the same way he sold it to himself in the mirror.

 

"Motou, if you don't mind, we'd like to get a briefing on your project. The board here would like to be updated on your progress in completing the game so that we can discuss numbers and possibly a release date." Kaiba said from his seat at the head of the table, looking as bored and stoic as he usually does with Mokuba at his side giving him a small, encouraging smile that said "you can do it!" and he really hoped he could. He hoped he didn't break in front of the board because that'd be awkward for everyone.

"Yes, certainly." He responded as he made his way to the front of the room to address the well dressed suits that screamed _'time is money, so make it count'._

 

"As you know, I'd been creating a duel monsters device which would've allowed users to partake in international duels without having to leave the comfort of their homes. The system would've included a card scanner, allowing players to use their physical decks in a duel which by default, would've increased physical card sales. The game would've also comprised of actual tournaments where their data and their deck information would've been stored in our databases and on a leaderboard accessible to other players. This would've enabled us with the information needed to recruit high ranking players for upcoming Kaiba Corp tournaments."

"I keep hearing you using the past tense Mr. Motou. Are you no longer creating the game?" An old man with rubbery skin asked in a tone that said he was not one for bullshit or time wasting, probably because whatever time he had left on earth was rapidly decreasing.

"I'm still creating the game, but I'm no longer creating that game."

"Elaborate." Instead he heard , _'Get on with it!.'_

He passed out tablets containing a draft of the new game plan to everyone seated around the table before he started explaining in further detail.

"If you click on that file there, a hologram would appear before you showing you aspects of the game which I've documented thus far." and he gestured to what he was referring to on the projection beside him.

"Allow me to elaborate further so that you wouldn't have to read through everything in front of you. I've decided that instead of a basic dueling game with standard tournaments and the ability to challenge international players to a duel just to climb ranks, that it'd be more fitting and far more profitable and exciting to create an RPG duel world instead." He paused, letting his change of plans sink in before continuing.

"My grandfather and a friend of mine once told me about duel monsters being originated in ancient Egypt during the reign of the pharaohs and everything just clicked."

He snapped his fingers for emphasis and using the pause, he took a deep breath to rid his mind of thoughts of Atem.

Now was _not_ the fucking time.

"It'll be set on an ancient Egyptian timeline. The game would be equipped with the ability to challenge duelists across the globe just as before but now it'll also be paired with in-game challenges such as villains and tasks that would aid in increasing player levels. The game world setting would satiate the player's thirst for adventure and will also include a score board that's accessible to other players which we hope would boost players' competitive nature, making them want to play more and climb the ranks."

"What about profits? In the previous design, we were going to be making a profit on selling the new device and making a percentage on the card sales." A lady with a neat brunette bob, green eyes and thin glasses that framed her round face asked. Her shirt was too small for her breasts and the buttons were clinging to each other desperately the way Jack clung to Rose (that bitch, she could've shared).

It was distracting. He wanted to toss her a scarf.

 _"Focus Yugi." He thought_ , looking away from the woman and instead looking at the wall right behind her head.

"Glad you asked Hokuda-san. We'd be making a profit on in-game purchases. There'd be special, limited edition cards for sale, costumes for the avatars and also card skins and variations of the duel disk up for purchasing. I was also hoping that we could make the game compatible for other gaming consoles to appeal to a wider market. Not everyone has a KaibaConsole." 

Kaiba agreed to his final suggestion and he went on explaining some other shit that spilled off his tongue in well rehearsed syllables. He practiced and prepped for this and he was glad his hard work paid off when he concluded his presentation and the meeting went on in a boring blur with in-depth discussion about numbers and products and an upcoming tournament amongst other things he wasn't entirely listening to.

 

And then it was over. Finally.

 

"Yugi." Seto stopped him before he could escape.

"Yes?"

"About the new game, you seemed to have put a lot of thought into it. How far along is it?"

"Story line mostly, but everything branches from there so once that's complete, I'll start detailing other aspects such as tournaments and challenges and such."

"And you're sure this is what you want to do? I can't keep making excuses for you, the board is up my ass about you even though it's **my fucking money**. They want to ensure we make back all the money we've invested in you"

"I'm sure. You'll have my portfolio by the end of next month with more information about my plans and designs."

Seto nodded and began to head out to god knows where when Yugi called to him

"Kaiba-kun?"

"Don't call me that at work." He said when he turned around.

"Fine, Mr. Kaiba sir." Yugi said with great exaggeration and Seto smirked a little but it was gone just as quickly because Seto does not smirk. "Thank you for everything, this project is really close to my heart, I promise I won't let you down."

He nodded again and continued his trek once more, leaving Yugi alone with his thoughts and his project.

 

Jounouchi spent another night at Yugi's, trying his best to cheer his friend up and keep his mind off the man across the street that had _yet_ to return home and Yugi let him, trying his best to enjoy his best friend's company because he needed it.

 

It was day two and Jounouchi was still grumpy about getting to work early.

He wondered how Mai put up with him and his antics.

She probably didn't and was glad she had the house to herself.

The work day passed with much of the same but instead of testing games, his sole focus was on creating his rpg portfolio.

...

 

_"Wow Yugi, better be careful, this young man right here can steal your title from right up under you." Solomon said as he sat by the dining table spectating a friendly match between Yugi and Atem._

_The latter had drawn just the card he needed with only one thousand life points left in order to perform the Black Luster ritual, forcing Yugi to go on the defensive._

_When the next turn came around and Yugi's only move was to place a magic or trap card face down on the field. Atem knew it would've been a risky move but it was an opening to attack anyway, with the Dark Magician in play with only twenty five hundred life points, he wouldn't stand a chance against the Black Luster Soildier's attack and though the monster was in defense mode, it would still be wiped off the field, leaving him vulnerable come next turn. He knew that the Dark Magician was one of Yugi's most powerful monsters and he also knew that Yugi had those silent magician cards somewhere in his deck. He hoped he could end the match long before Yugi got the chance to summon it._

_He attacked and it hurt him to do so, the Dark Magician was one of his favorites after all and not to his surprise, bam - fucking Magical Hats was activated, allowing Yugi to stall for the next three turns if he managed to guess incorrectly. He couldn't even be upset. In fact, he was somewhat relieved he didn't put his favorite monster in the graveyard._

_In the end, Yugi won by playing Magical Box, switching out his Dark Magician for the Black Luster Soldier and attacking Atem's life points directly._

_"Where'd you learn to play like that son?" Solomon asked and Atem could see Yugi looking at his grandpa with pleading eyes that screamed 'Don't ask!!' but old folks hardly ever listen anyway._

_"My dad thought me. He used to tell me these fascinating stories about the game's origin anytime we played. I loved the stories so much that I'd challenge him to duel almost everyday just so he could tell me more."_

_"Stories? What kind of stories?"  Yugi asked, initial worry forgotten and overtaken by curiosity._

_And you see why it killed the cat._

_"He said that long ago, in ancient Egypt during the time of the pharaohs, there was once a Pharaoh who fought battles with the monsters in these cards. Shadow games he called it."_

_"The Pharaoh and his counsel had seven items, the millennium items, born of human sacrifice. They used it to extract those monsters from the hearts of criminals and stored them in stone tablets." Solomon added._

_"So you know the tale?" Atem asked, his eyes dancing with childlike wonder because even though he'd grown, he never outgrew his love for stories, it was why he worked at the museum after all. Deciphering and telling the stories of those buried so long ago, forgotten and lost under the dust of time._

_"Oh, it's not just a tale my boy. My archeological group and I found the seven items in an underground tomb once. Blasted thing starting crumbling in on us before we could salvage any of the items. We had to flee but strange enough, when we'd returned to the site and we dug and dug deep, the items were never to be seen again. We only have one thing to show from that trip; a stone tablet with what we think to be the Pharaoh and one of his counsel dueling each other."_

_"Wow, that's amazing! I never knew that. Where is the tablet now?"_

_"In Domino, maybe one day, Yugi can carry you to see it?" The old man said, a knowing glint in his eyes._

_"I'd like that." And Atem smiled at him so beautifully that Yugi's breath hitched and he had momentarily forgotten how to breathe._

...

"Hey, are you okay? You've been standing there for some time now." Ryou asked, snapping him out of his flashback and back to reality where he was indeed, standing and looking at nothing in particular in the empty corridor outside of his office.

When did he even move? 

"Yes, just thinking about my game."

"Oh, how's that coming along?"

"Pretty good actually. I'm really motivated to do this one, the first one was just me trying to whip up something to get Kaiba-kun off my back."

"Well that's really good to hear. I can't wait to test it. Oh, by the way, are you coming with us for lunch today?"

"Yes but who's turn is it to pick? Duke’s?"

"No, Duke picked on Tuesday, I picked Monday and yesterday was Jou's. Today is your choice."

"I had no idea it was Thursday already. How about Italian?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll tell the others."

 

They had lunch at an Italian joint that was just the right standard of sanitary and they talked and laughed together in familiar comfort and it had been the first time in a while since he felt somewhat normal. He felt a little like his old self again and he didn't even think much of it when Jounouchi went home with him to stay another night.

 

Jounouchi was ready on time the next morning. In fact, he seemed excited.

Suspicious.

His usual grumbling and whining was replaced by light, early morning banter and casual Seto Kaiba shit talking. Yugi reckoned that Jounouchi secretly had a thing for Kaiba and was too scared to admit it because his obsession was borderline unhealthy.

 

It was after six in the morning and he went on and on when Yugi told him about the upcoming tournament they discussed in the meeting.

"Man I'm tellin ya, if he thinks I'm such a third rate duelist, why does he even bother invitin' me to these things?" And Yugi reckoned that Kaiba probably had a thing for Jou as well "And the fact that he has the audacity to look surprised when I win. Mannnm I itch to punch him in that perfect face of his."

And he complained all the way from the house to the office.

Yugi regretted telling him anything at all. It was _way_ too fucking early.

 

"Do you know what today is?!" Jounouchi asked as he dropped himself heavily onto Yugi’s office couch.

Never in his goddamn office!

"Urmmmm." His concentration now broken, he looked at his phone. He had no idea what day it was, he was simply existing and moving through the phases. "According to my phone, it's Friday."

Of course, yesterday was Thursday, he picked out their lunch spot, how could he forget that so soon?

"Not just any Friday!" Jounouchi whined.

He glimpsed at the phone again.

"Right. It's Friday the thirty-first. What's so special about today?" 

"Yug, it's the month's end. Today is payday! We're goin clubbin and you're absolutely comin'."

"Oh no, that's... no. I have work to do. I have to get this game somewhere meaningful by the end of the month."

"All I heard was that you have an entire month to work on your game. One night won't hurt ya. You're comin."

Yugi wanted to argue and plead his case but the amount of energy he'd pour into that arguement, it made a whole lot more sense to just fucking go and get it over with.

Jounouchi was one determined fella.

"Fine whatever. I guess I can use a drink." He mummbled.

There, crisis adverted.

"Cluuuubbbbiiinnnnnnnn!!!!" Jou yelled and finally, _finally_ , left to perform his working duties.

 

When they got home, he immediately climbed into bed to charge his mental batteries for the, no doubt, long night ahead and when it was ten o'clock on the dot, Jounouchi busted into his room, woke him and and told him to get his ass ready before he got his ass handled and he did what he was told like the good boy he was.

 

The club was a fucking screaming, jam packed , sweaty nightmare. Music blared through the speakers and people clustered so tightly in every space available that there was barely enough space to make it through but somehow they managed.

Men littered across the dance floor and along the bar, out with the intentions of wooing women with their topped-up pockets and getting some ass and women with their pay stashed at home, searching for men with the intention of drinking for free. It was the nightlife food chain.

Thank heavens for Mokuba and his influence getting them a booth so that they didn't have to stand and sway among the typhoon of people because Yugi swore on his soul that he was definitely going to call it a night had that been the case.

"I'm going to the bar." He called among the noise when he was tired of sitting and observing.

"Great idea! First round is on you!" Jou yelled back, giving him a supportive thumbs up and a shit eating grin.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes but managed a glare nonetheless.

Seated at the bar, he looked back at booth where his friends sat, pleased with himself for having made it out of the house and acting like a pleasant human being when he noticed Jou staring at the crowd with a glazed over expression on his face like he spotted _his_ _precious_. Yugi followed his line of sight into the crowd where Mai, dressed in a suffocating black leather dress that stopped right under her butt and hugged her in all the right places and revealed even better places was walking hand in hand with Anzu who wore a simple red dress that had a very deep and suggestive V cut that showed a lot of her breasts and an even lower back that stopped right above her butt.

Now Yugi had given up on women quite some time ago but seeing Anzu in that form fitting dress made him question if he'd made a rash decision and then his vision was obscured by a man, not that much taller than him but tall enough with a slender body and red hair and he was dressed in a black leather jacket with a fitted grey T-shirt underneath and dark jeans and he looked absolutely delicious. Delicious enough to forget about Anzu and remind him that yes, he really liked guys and there was nothing wrong with it. It was who he was and he was comfortable with him. It was what he was striving to regain after all. He needed to be in touch with the Yugi before Atem.

"That seat taken?" The stranger asked.

"It is now."

"Thank you. So, you come here often?"

Oh jeez. That fucking line.

"Uhh, no. Do you?"

"No, first time. Figured I'd see what the hype was about. Figured I'd find out from someone who frequent the place but it's cool, I think you and your company are much better than what I was looking for." He said and signaled the bartender over.

The man ordered a drink for himself and was about to order a drink for Yugi when he waved him off and ordered a bottle for their table instead, telling the bartender that they needed glasses and a bowl of ice brought to their booth.

"Aw come on, have a shot with me at least. I insist." 

Yugi agreed to the shot and it was like the best decision he'd made all night. He wondered why it took so long for him to drink in the first place. He felt bold and alive and ready to face anything.

Yugi made to walk back to his friends, bottle in hand when the man turned to him and said"I see you're with your friends but if you feel like making a new friend tonight, you know where to find me." and the handsome stranger winked and turned back to the bar to nurse his drink.

 

Yugi sat with his friends in their booth, drinking and laughing and occasionally going onto the dance floor when a song they liked played and during that time, the burning sensation of eyes on him never wavered. Every time he glimpsed at the bar, the red head man was watching him. Studying him like he was the most fascinating subject to grace his existence. It made Yugi excited. He liked feeling desired. He liked it enough that he sauntered through the dance floor amongst the gyrating club goers to the man at the bar.

Liquid courage was a hell of a thing. His blood was hot and rushing through his veins, pulsing with the bass of the music.

"You know, I've thought about what you said and I do think I want to make a new friend tonight. Perhaps you'd like to go somewhere a little quieter where we can get to know each other?" 

"Where did you have in mind?" 

"My place?" Yugi suggested.

His only response was a nod as the man downed the remainder of his drink and followed Yugi to his booth where he told his friends he'd be leaving, ignoring their smirking faces and their whistles he could barely hear above the music.

 

They were on each other in the Uber in a matter of minutes, kissing and grabbing on each other wherever they could get their hands. Yugi yearned to undress the man and feel his skin on his. It had been so long since he'd been intimate with someone, he didn't think he could wait.

Saved by the fucking bell.

They arrived at his place, kissing each other from the driveway to the front door in a ferocious display of need. They both knew this was a one night stand, so they didn't bother asking names, it didn't matter if you were planning to bail the same night or early the next morning. It was a silent agreement, an unwritten rule in the 'one night stand' rule book. Yugi was backed roughly against the door the minute they were inside his home. He pushed the man's jacket off and discarded his jersey soon after. He took a minute to drink in the pale, muscled body in front of him before the man was back on him in an instant, kissing his lips before trailing open mouthed kisses along his jaw and neck, rubbing his hand over Yugi's swollen dick that was dying to get out of his pants and he moaned, "Oh fuck Atem!", in a breathless daze into the guy's ear and the guy responded by saying, "That isn't my name but you can call me whatever you want.", and it was like a bucket of ice water was dunked on him, waking him up from his heated stupor.

He pushed the guy away and focused on the man in front of him. Red hair but no blonde bangs, pale skin very much like his instead of the beautiful sun kissed tan he loved and big brown eyes glazed over by lust. The man was beautiful though, he couldn't deny it, but he wasn't Atem and he felt awful, like he did something he shouldn't have done.

"What's wrong? Is it because I told you that you can all me whatever you want, because if you don't want to you can call me by my name. I'm Alister." 

Oh God, his name starts with an A as well.

He shook his head rapidly.

Bad decision seeing as he had quite a few drinks in him. He groaned and clutched his head as though that could shield him from the headache forming by his temples.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Y-yeah I'm fine, don't feel too good though. M-maybe I should just call the Uber back. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. I do hope you're okay though.”

"I will be once I get some sleep. God.. you must think I'm such a tease." Yugi said, drifting to the couch to lie down. 

"It happens to the best of us. I still think you're a tease though but it's totally okay. I'll call the Uber and _you_ should get some rest." He smiled at him and his smile was white and bloody perfect and he felt terrible because Alister was pretty fucking cute and a really good kisser.

"My ride is here." he said after a while. Yugi was already starting to drift off "I hope I can see you again sometime ..." and there was a pause as his brows furrowed.

"Yugi" he supplied and the furrowing was no more.

"Hope you feel better...Yugi." He said it experimentally but it still sounded pretty sweet though not as sweet as when Atem said it. No one could ever make his name sound as good as him.

Then Alister was gone and he was alone in the darkness and so he surrendered himself and his consciousness to it.

 

Yugi dreamt of Atem. Of holding and comforting Atem, of taking care of Atem, of kissing Atem and ultimately, of fucking Atem.

  

A knock at the door held Yugi by the neck and dragged him out of his sleep. He'd passed out on the couch and his body felt terrible. He didn't know how long he laid there, it could've been minutes, maybe a few hours. The curtains were drawn shut and house was dark. He figured that it was still night and Allister must've returned for something he'd forgotten.

Either way, his mouth tasted like dead things and he was certain that he'd drooled, his boxers felt partially crusty but also a bit wet, no doubt due to the precum from the activities he'd partook in with Alister and the wet dream he was having not too long ago. He yelled a quick "I'm coming!" before he rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth, wash his face and strip out of his clothes, opting for the bathrobe hanging behind his door.

Before he made it to the door, he chanced a look at the clock. It was four thirty in the afternoon.

That couldn't be right, that would mean he slept through the entirety of the day. He didn't feel like he rested for a day, in fact, he felt like he'd been rolled over by cars, busses, trains and horse carriages far too many times.

His headache was gone however, which was great. 

That time was incorrect, he decided.

 

He opened the door and there on the threshold in all his beautiful tan glory stood Atem.

Nope. No uh. He was dreaming obviously.

He shut his eyes tightly and counted to ten before peaking out below this thick lashes one eye at a time to see if Atem would transform into Alister or Jounouchi or absolutely nothing or if he'd wake up back on the couch in his club clothes and a mouth full of smelly sand, but no, Atem was still there with an amused look on his face as he tried not to laugh at Yugi's antics. 

"Can we talk ?"


	10. Story Teller. Soul Barer. Burden Sharer.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want you to show me every twisted, frightened thought you’ve ever had.  
> I want your eyes to crack my bones,  
> I want your words to tear my skin apart - Unknown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like rollercoasters because this is about to be one hell of a fucked up ride.

"Can we talk?"

The welcome mat at the front door was suddenly really fucking interesting.

Yugi was staring at it like it held the answer to all life's questions, like is heaven real and is water wet.

The _important_ stuff.

Atem was a real, solid human being and not a figment of his overactive mind. He wasn't one of those hallucinations he'd been conjuring over the past week and that thought alone was both terrifying and gratifying all in the same breath.

"Yeah sure." Yugi replied, gesturing for Atem to follow him inside, timidly closing the door and Atem took note of how he bit his lip and looked at everything but him.

"Are you okay?" Atem asked and Yugi ignored him, irritated, walking pass him because to him that was a really stupid question that really did not deserve an answer.

"Right." He muttered and followed despite the frost the other man emanated.

They finally arrived at the living room and when Yugi turned to face him, he plastered a small smile onto his face and extended his hand, which was hidden behind his back, offering a small white desert box to the shorter man.

"What's this?"

"Open it and you'll see."

He obliged, opening the box and was greeted by _'I'm sorry for being a butt'_ scribbled in fancy cursive on an equally elegant card that was placed atop a slice of triple layered chocolate cake - Yugi's favorite.

Here we go.

"You remembered?" He asked, initial irritation dissipated and replaced by breathlessness at the minuscule gesture and Atem had the audacity to nod shyly and look fucking adorable doing it.

Curse him.

Yugi was putty in his hands and the man barely did a thing but the way to a man's heart was through his stomach after all and there Atem went, clearing his fucking way through.

Yugi was rendered hopeless at the charms of the Egyptian man standing in his living room. His eyes, his smile, his toned muscles in his fitted white T-shirt, his tanned skin that stood out stark in contrast, the way his dark jeans hugged his legs and the combat boots that stopped right below his calves and fit his feet perfectly.

_"Look away, look away, look away!" His inner self urged._

It was crucial that kept his head on and kept his mind clear lest he fell for the charms that was Atem Sennen. That fucking beautiful demigod that was staring right at him. He needed to remain level and atop his game. He needed to be strong but who was he kidding?    Like he stood a chance.

Yugi cleared his throat and made a show of walking around the center table to the single sofa chair opposite the triple seat sofa while Atem settled himself at the center of the loveseat, trying his best to respect Yugi and maintain the distance he wished for despite how desperately he wished to close it.

The tiny space coupled with the fact that Yugi was no longer looking at him but instead very pointedly at the floor sent a pang of guilt coursing through his body at high speeds and it was a feeling he hated. He'd caused this and it was something he had to deal with but he wished to all that was holy that he wouldn't have to for much longer because he wasn't sure he could.

I mean, sure, his initial plan was to extract exactly this reaction but now that he was reaping the consequences of his sown fruit, well to put it quite simply.... he just couldn't fucking take it.

The moment they got seated in their respective places, Atem started speaking.

"I just want to start off by saying that I am so very sorry for running off on you the way that I did. It was such a cowardly thing to do and you didn't deserve that. Over the past few days, I realized in completion, just how awful I've behaved and I'm really sorry for upsetting you. I- I know you don't owe me a thing and honestly, I don't deserve it, but Yugi, please forgive me."

He had to get that out there, he had to atone and he looked at Yugi with pleading eyes while Yugi sat completely still, eyes trained on the floor, hard and determined and masked while the only indication that he hadn't turned to stone was the subtle twitch and furrowing of his brows like he was fighting a battle within the catacombs of his mind. It took every fiber of his being, every ounce of his strength to fight and not rush over to Atem because little did he know, he was forgiven the moment he showed up at his door with his favorite desert in hand.

 

Silence.

 

"Before I forgive you" he breathed out deeply, though his eyebrows never quite relaxed, finally looking up after a minute and he decided Atem waited long enough if the look of sheer agony and anxiousness on his face was anything to go by, "I think I deserve to know why you left."

"Well...I-"

"Was it something I said?"

"No of course n-"

"Was it something I did?"

"No, you didn't d-"

"It was the kiss, wasn't it?"

He didn't know exactly why he was cutting him off whenever he was awarded an answer but there was just so much to say and his nerves zapped him made him spit it all up.

"Was it something you felt? Did I make you feel uncomfortable in any way? Did I impose on you too much? What am I asking, of course I did! I am so sorry - "

He couldn't help but think that him kissing Atem played a major role in the other's Houdini act and yeah, sure, maybe it did, but not in the sense that he thought it did and even though Atem had hurt him and upset him, he felt partially responsible and he felt as though he should apologize as well.

"I didn't mean to upset you to the point where you'd run. I'm so-"

"Yugi" he said, face stern but solemn "don't apologize to me" he chastised " also, let me finish."

Yugi nodded like a good child who was promised a snack if they behaved though he supposed the only snack he really wanted was right in front of him.

He'd behave if he could have it, _him_ , but he wasn't sure he'd be awarded so handsomely for his silence. It was a funny thing, how desperately they both craved and needed the other and how blind they were to the entire thing.

"It's not you-" Atem started saying and oh gods, it was the _'it's not you, it's me speech'_ \- they both groaned at that.

"I'm gay!" Yugi blurted.

Atem paused and looked at him.

 

One second and a blink.

Two seconds and another blink.

Three....

"I know." He said finally like _'duh-doiiiii!'_

"You do?! And you're not ummm... repulsed?"

"Of course I know. Wait, why would I be repulsed?"

"You ran off the day I.. well..I kissed you " and he flushed all the way from his chest to his hairline "and you'd been avoiding me ever since. You packed a suitcase and fled for a fucking week!" And then that red tint on his skin wasn't the result of bashfulness but instead due to the fiery hot rage that was burning beneath his skin. He was seething at the memory because the pain stung anew. He was experiencing that day all over again, raw and confused and fucking broken.

"Alright yes. Well when you put it like that, I can see how that looks like repulsion." He said cringing.

"You can see how that looks like repulsion huh? You've got some fucking nerve Atem Sennen!", he yelled, standing up from his seat and pacing the small space in front of it, "You've got a whole lot of nerve showing up here in your dark jeans and your fitted T-shirt with your chocolate cake and your goddamn apologies! You had me worried sick about you and you hurt me! You hurt me and made me question myself and I fucking hate y-"

Yugi was very visibly upset. He was unraveling. His voice was raising and his eyes were glassy with unshed tears but before he could finish his sentence, Atem sprung out of his chair, catching Yugi by surprise and stopping his pacing by clutching his hands tightly in his.

He never finished that sentence. Anything else he was going to say died on his tongue instantly..

"No you don't. You don't. I deserve it, I know I do, but please don't." He said in a panicked whisper as he searched Yugi's eyes for something, anything.

He couldn't afford for Yugi to hate him even though he knew that's what his actions warranted. He earned it after all.

"I should."

"I agree. It would be easier if you did."

Atem's hands tighten a fraction around his as he spoke.

_Lies!_

It was a boldfaced lie and they both knew it. They'd formed a bond of codependency and neither of them noticed until they were away from each other. Atem needed Yugi to stay alive and Yugi needed him to feel complete. It most definitely would not have been easier. They'd both shatter and come completely undone.

"I can't though."

"I'm so sorry." And he really was because he didn't _want_ Yugi to be tied to him because he was impulsive and self destructive and full of self loathing and Yugi didn't need someone like that but _he_ fucking _needed_ him.

Yugi was his lifeline and the only reason he always came back when he was standing at the verge of the dark end. Being without your lifeline puts your life into perspective and that was all it took to show him that yes, if Yugi wanted nothing to do with him after this, then what really was the point of holding on. Yugi was the only one that seemed to care, even when he didn't and if he stopped caring, well, he might just go off the fucking spiral until it ended him. It was a terrifying prospect and a terrible burden to place on someone but without him, Atem just lacked the will to fight.

"So if you didn't leave because of my obvious gayness, then why did you?"

"I'm selling the house."

"Excuse me, what?!?" Yugi shook off Atem's hand, making Atem wince as he had a Sarah Paulson moment where all the math equations were flying around as he tried to make sense of what was said to him while simultaneously trying to sift through the shitload of questions he had floating around his thinker. "I don't get it. I don't-", And then he voiced the first one that made some semblance of sense, "You ran away from me because you're selling the house?"

"I didn't ru-" he started and Yugi shot him a look which he folded to immediately "Okay! The first two weeks I'd been swamped in my mind, I couldn't think clearly. I kept wanting to turn to you, to talk to you but I also knew that was something I shouldn't do, burden you like that. Something I couldn't keep doing. I ran off because I was becoming too attached. You were becoming too attached too, you know? I needed to think, needed space away from you to think distinctly. I never intended to run off the way I did but when I saw you that day, I knew I had to get away or else I wouldn't have left so I panicked, turned my stupid ass around, got back into my car and I left. I left and I thought and I came back to pack my things because I figured that maybe... maybe if I left and you hated me for it then I wouldn't have to say goodbye and I wouldn't miss you because I was already used to being without you and you wouldn't miss me because you hated me."

Yugi stared at the man in front of him in confusion. Atem had his mind working way too hard way too soon after alcohol had battered his shit.

He plonked his little ass back onto his seat and ran a shaky hand through his hair. He really should eat something, he'd been out the entire day.

"You.... so what made you come back?"

Atem looked at him with worry. Yugi was looking pale and utterly exhausted and he wondered if it was because of their conversation.

"Are you okay? We don't have to do this right now, I know it's a lot to take in." He voiced and when Yugi didn't answer him right away, he made to turn and leave but Yugi waved off his concerns and asked him to continue. He didn't want to, he wanted to be stubborn because of his care for Yugi but he couldn't right now. All he could do is do what he asked and hope for the best.

"Well apart from me not being able to stay at my hotel any longer, I came back because I was stupid. You were the only person that showed me they cared about me and my fucked up existence even when my own family forgot about me and every single day I was away, I thought about you and how you looked standing by my driveway that day I left and I hated myself for it. I still hate myself for it. You deserved better and you definitely deserved an explanation and an apology and I know I stopped you before you can say it and I know it'll hurt to hear it but if you really do hate me and want nothing more to do with me, then it's okay, I'll understand."

"I don't hate you Atem. I can't and I meant it. So....you're selling the house and you distanced yourself because you didn't want to have to say goodbye to me, yes?"

"Yes, I guess that somewhat sums it up."

"Well you didn't have to leave at all because no matter where you go, it wouldn't be goodbye. You can move one block down, to the next town or city or even to the goddamn North Pole, I'd be your friend until you ask me not to be, and even then, I'd be stubborn and check in on you, just to make sure you're okay."

"Really?"

"Yes really. I'm still your friend first, regardless of umm... me not hating you." he said with a small smile playing on his lips.

"I- wow. I can't believe how willing you are to stand by me despite everything."

"D-do you want me to abandon you or something? Because that's certainly not how you convince someone to stay..."

"NO!" He yelled. "No. It's just, maybe if you really knew just how messed up I was, you wouldn't be so willing. I've got so many issues and problems that I keep buried I...."

"Bare it to me then." Yugi said, meeting Atem's sad red eyes with a determination that he'd never seen in them before. He still looked tired but it was like a fire had sparked within him, burning bright within his purple irises and the confidence of that heat was all Atem needed.

"Mmmmm." He pondered for a moment then nodded to himself "Okay! Let's go."

"Where to?"

"You'll find out when we get there."

"I uh... I gotta get dressed first", he said and gestured to the robe he had forgotten he was wearing and his face blossomed a pretty pink.

"Could've kept it. It's a cute robe."

"Shut up!" Yugi called as he hurried away.

 

And find out when they got there he did. Atem had taken him to a pharmacy to get painkillers for the headache he knew he was hiding and to Jo's to get his favorite burger and shake before driving them to a little river at the edge of town.

"What is this place and why do you know about it?" Yugi asked as they stepped out of the car and sat on the hood. He'd lived in the city for two years and he'd never heard about the place.

"My family and I used to come here a long time ago. You get an amazing view from here. In a while you'll see what I mean."

It was still pretty early in the evening and though the sun was still quite high in the sky, it was evident that it would start setting soon.

As they looked on, Yugi could see what Atem meant as the golden rays of the sun took on a toasted, orange hue and colors played across the sky in a beautiful, harmonic melody, blending perfectly with each other while still having a personality of their own. The sky's reflection was painted perfectly in the still water before them as the breeze blowed softly and swayed the trees along the bank. It was a sight to behold.

"The evening is my favorite time of day. I love the sunset, it's just so peaceful." Atem said and Yugi took his eyes off the view to look at Atem who was gazing out at the sky looking the most calm he'd ever seen him. Atem looked at one with his surroundings, beautiful and serene and mystical. They just fit together and formed the most beautiful and perfect picture of tranquility.

"It really is beautiful." Yugi said.

_'You're really beautiful' he thought_

"Just so you know, I didn't drag out of your home just for food and to watch the sun set. You wanted to get to know me, all of me, so here goes. You ready?"

"Shoot." Yugi nodded.

"Okay, shot. My name is Atem Sennen. I'm twenty three and I'm the only child of my two dead parents, Isama and Akhenamkhanen Sennen. I was born right in that very house, in that tub where you found me" he cringed a little "and grew up under the care of my parents and our house staff. Care takers if you wish. My parents, along with my uncle ran an architecture and construction company which my uncle now runs fully" and he made a face and Yugi thought to ask him why but he opted for putting it in the ‘ _ask later’_ pile.

"My mother was diagnosed with lung cancer when I was twelve and didn't tell me until I was fourteen. Instead of getting better, she was getting worse, in fact, the treatments were speeding things up. She died when I was fifteen, right in her bed. A peaceful passing, she was asleep. My father seemed fine for the first few months after her death, he helped his brother with the business, even went and got a three million dollar loan to build a branch of the company here, but instead of doing that, he started drinking. He fired the house staff because if he didn't have to pay them, he'd have more money to buy alcohol....and the the drinking wasn't enough so he opted for company as well. He'd stagger home with a different woman each night, gamble and drink over priced drinks. I complained to him about it once. Probably should've kept my fucking mouth shut. He told me that _'if I didn't want him to take out his frustrations on the women, he'd take it out on me instead_ '"

"Oh good lord Atem, please tell me your father didn't abuse you like _that_."

"He didn't. He choked me until I was out for my _"smart mouth"_ , telling me that this was what I asked for and that I deserved it." He shrugged as though he was talking about the weather.

"So instead of drinking and bringing ladies home", he continued, "he drank and beat me every chance he got and I never fought back. I let him because he told me I caused mom's death, told me I deserved it and eventually, I believed him. I got so used to it that I expected it, I tormented him for it. In a sick way I...I looked forward to it and sometimes I think...I think I miss it? I pick fights with strangers and I don't fight back because when I look at them, I see my father telling me that I asked for it."

"Fuck." Yugi muttered.

"Yeah. I'm surprised you're still here. Are you sure you don't want to leave? I'm giving you an out."

"Are you kidding? I'm not going anywhere."

He'd heard that countless times before but it was the first time in a very long time that he honestly believed it and it was enough incentive for him to continue.

"Well, that lasted for about three or four years maybe and then one night, he'd gotten drunk, so drunk, he was a crying, slobbering mess and I'd called him a loser and a disgrace and I told him that mom would be disappointed in him. I tormented him because I wanted him to hit me, I wanted him to be angry just so he'd stop crying and being so fucking pathetic. Well...it worked! He beat me until I was bloody. I was unconscious, didn't even know when he left home. I woke up to missed calls from the police station and the hospital. I woke up to find out that my father had gotten into his car drunk and got into a fatal accident, taking a young woman with him. I mean, maybe if I'd let him cry to his heart's content, maybe he would've never left the house, maybe he'd still be here, maybe I could've gotten him to go to therapy and we could've worked on getting better together."

So much fucking maybes and none of them mattered now. His father was dead and so was the girl he crashed into. He felt vulnerable and way too exposed but he also felt safe as he looked at Yugi.

Yugi sat there, his mind spiraling to everything that was being said. Sure, Atem can somewhat be held responsible for the action that initiated the events that transpired that night. Sure, things could've possibly went differently had he not said a thing but he couldn't blame him entirely. He was a fucking kid that was hurting and damaged and to Yugi, he was just trying to get his father's attention the only way he could. But while Yugi's mind was working on hyperdrive, his mouth didn't correspond the messages needed.

"I don't know what to say." Yugi whispered.

"You don't have to say a thing, you can just listen, yeah?"

Yugi nodded and he spoke once more, "The girl's family wanted to take me to court, they were going to sue me. Both my parents were dead and all their money was left to me, including the remainder of the money my father had borrowed. Dad didn't blow through the entirety of it like I thought he did, hell, he must've used about half a mil or so. I know I said he'd gambled us into debt but I think the biggest gamble he took was with his life. I had to get the family off my back so I paid them a million, not enough when compared to someone's life but they took it anyway, and I paid the bank the remainder of the loan money as pay back. Of course, it wasn't enough and there was this fucking thing called interest, so I had to get a job. I was twenty when I started working and thank heavens that my parents had the foresight to teach me languages both old and new and that they loved history because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have my job at the museum."

He paused, taking a deep breath. He was telling Yugi his entire life story, things he fought to forget over the years, things he buried and preferred to keep hidden. He was baring it all and even though talking to Yugi was easy, the weight of the reality was heavy and it pressed into him with urgency. Urgency to drink and forget.

"I furthered my studies while working there and I gradually moved from being a tour guide on the floor to working behind the scenes and encrypting artifacts. It paid well enough and the bank and I had come to an agreement where they'd take a certain amount of money every month until the loan was paid."

Atem was starting to get upset, Yugi noticed.

"Hey, you don't have to continue if you don't want to. I've heard quite a lot and I'm still here and I don't think anything else you say would change that."

"I want to. I think I need to, you know? I know you're not a therapist but talking to you and just knowing that you're listening...it helps. You're helping Yugi."

And there he went saying his name so causally and giving him praises.

"I'm happy to help." He said shakily and he mentally kicked himself for the way his voice broke and his cheeks tinged pink. His body was a fucking traitor and he was grateful Atem didn't say anything about it and instead offered him a small smile.

Atem looked out at the river as the sun was halfway below the surface, sinking slowly into the depth of the cold water and bathing it with rays of golden heat.

"Everything was fine at first. Steady, stable. I'd call and check up on my family in Egypt for months after my parents died and then, the loneliness and the depression just....got too much and the phone calls didn't fill the void like they'd been previously doing so I stopped calling. I stopped calling and no one seemed to notice, no one called to see if I was okay. Did you know I had to cremate my father by myself? Not even his fucking brother came. No one came and no one cared and then I started fucking drinking. I drank through my father's stash in less than a week." He laughed humorlessly, watching the sun as his retinas burned him painfully.

"It got so bad that I set aside a monthly allowance for alcohol. Hell! I still do. How fucking pathetic is that!" He barked.

"I'm so sorry that no one was there for you. You're not pathetic Atem, you just...coped using the example you were set."

"Some example." And he exhaled "Thing is though, I didn't only drink. I think I was worse than my dad. I took all sorts of drugs. I'd get high on coke and sometimes tripped up on acid and hallucinate for hours just to escape my reality and because things hardly ever happen in my favor, the guy I got my stuff from just disappeared."

"Wait....you did what?!?"

"My life was so much shit that I just wanted an out. It didn't last long before I was alone again though, no psychedelics, just my alcohol. I just...I realized that I had a bit of a problem and decided to go to therapy. Must've gone a total of two sessions before I found a doctor that would give me antidepressants at the right price without having to talk about my problems. I maintained a constant in my life for years; alone and depressed and drunk and then I had enough." He was breathing so heavily and choking on his words as he spoke, as though they physically hurt him to say "I was so tired of being sad that I... I was drinking and I had those tablets...I just wanted to be happy and free. I..." his voice broke.

"It's fine. It's okay, I know." Yugi looked at Atem and saw a golden tear escape from his eye, shining in the sunlight that was casted upon it as he hastily wiped it away, dropping his tightly clenched fist onto his lap.

He was visibly fighting for control and it hurt Yugi so much to see. He wanted to brush the tear away, kiss it even but he couldn't. He'd learned his lesson. Maybe something less presumptuous, like a hug, but maybe that was still pushing it too far. However, he couldn’t sit back and watch Atem crumble and do nothing so instead, he placed a hand on Atem's to offer him strength and support and show him that he wasn't alone, that he'd always be there for him and much to his joy and relief, Atem's hand relaxed under his.

"You saved me." Atem said, looking down at the fair hand that was over his and Yugi’s heart soared at what was being said, "You found me and you saved me but sometimes I wished...sometimes I wish you never did. I wish I had the foresight to turn my lights on, that way you wouldn't notice anything amiss. The world would go on without me, rotating on its axis just as it did the day before and no one would notice." and then his heart dipped.

"That's where you're wrong because I would've noticed. I would've noticed that you didn't take your lights off the next morning, I would've noticed that your car was still in the driveway and I would've noticed that your lights were on earlier than usual the next evening. I would've noticed Atem."

 _"I've always noticed you and I would've been devastated"_ he wanted to add.

"Thanks.....for noticing." He smiled and it didn’t reach his eyes "Well, after you found me and we became friends, things were starting to look up, that was until the bank decided that I wasn't paying the loan quickly enough. They upped my quota. I didn't think much of it until I checked my account. They left me with a quarter of my salary and I like having a decent salary so I've finally come to the conclusion that it's time to sell the house."

Silence.

Yugi didn't know what to say. His mind was now playing catch up after he left it lagging behind somewhere along the lines of _"we became friends, things were starting to look up"_ but thankfully he didn't have to say anything because lost in his narcosis of Atem's words, he hardly noticed that the sun had drowned under the body of water and that the sky was darkening with mourning at the loss of it's light and Atem broke the silence for him.

"We should probably go before the mosquitoes come get us. I just want you to know that I didn’t tell you these things to guilt you into forgiving me, I just wanted you to know exactly what kind of person you’re pledging your friendship to. I don’t want to be a burden and I don’t need a pity party, okay?"

Yugi nodded and they got back into the car and begun the drive back home in silence.

"Atem?" Yugi asked when his mind finally pulled up on the scene.

Fucking tardy piece of work he had there.

"Mm"

"I'm really happy you're still here and that you trusted me enough to tell me these things. I can't pity you, it's quite hard to when I think you're really amazing and strong. You're not a burden to me either, you didn't deserve to go through all those things on your own and I hope you know that you won't have to anymore."

"You think I'm strong? Yugi, you have no idea how badly I want a drink right now. Every cell in my body in telling me to drive to the nearest bar and get hammered and if you weren't here with me right at this moment, I would've gone and done just that."

"Well then, I guess you need to keep me around so that you can fight that urge whenever it arises, huh?"

"I guess that means you're staying the night then?" He asked when they reached the traffic light near their homes.

"Only if you want me to."

"I want you to." He said without hesitation.

 

When they arrived at the house, the lights were turned on - routine - and the front door was open.

"Why don't you lock your door? That's so unsafe." Yugi whined and Atem had the gal to shrug.

"What do you want to do now?" He asked as he entered the house and tossed his keys onto the little table at the center of the foyer.

"Can I...can you give me a tour of the house? I mean, you're selling it and I always wanted to get a good look at it because it's just so amazing but only if it's not too much to ask. O-only if you do-"

"You always ramble when you're nervous." He chuckled and gestured for Yugi to follow him up to the right side of the house, journeying through the winding corridors, stopping and looking through rooms as they passed them. They went through a pair of imposing wooden doors which led to the left wing - passing his parents' room like it didn't exist because it wasn't a place that held many good memories anymore - before ending up at Atem's room.

When they entered the room, Yugi immediately noticed how Atem's room contrasted to all the others. Whereas the other rooms were painted in soft pastel colors, Atem's was a light gray accented by a deep maroon. The pillows, the drapes, even the mats on the floor had maroon on them. His king sized canopy bed stood out among the deep sea of red as it was neatly covered with white sheets, framed with white sheer curtains and embellished with maroon colored pillows and blanket. On either side of the bed had two lamps that casted a soft orange light upon the two bedside tables they sat upon, each housing photos on them.

Atem left Yugi standing awestruck at the door as he drunk in the finer details.

"I guess it's safe to assume red is your favorite color?"

"Yeah, it is" Atem returned as he made his way over to the bedside to pluck a photo from the nightstand which he carried over to Yugi who's back was now to him.

"Here, I've told you so much about them, I figured maybe you'd like to know what they looked like." he said, reaching around and placing the photo in Yugi's hand.

"Goodness, she's stunning! You look so much like her."

"She really was. We took this picture when I was fifteen. The treatment made her so weak but she tried her best to stand through this shoot. So strong and determined, even in agony. As you can see from the looks on dad and I's face, we were less than pleased with her exerting herself like that for something we thought was so pointless. I just.... I wished I had the foresight to smile for these pictures, even if it was just for her, you know? She died a few weeks later."

Yugi was holding the framed picture in front of him with both hands while Atem was standing behind him, looking at it from over his shoulder and he was made painstakingly aware of how close their bodies were to each other when Atem's hand brushed the back of his as he caressed the image of his mother's face.

"Wow. She doesn't even look sick. I can't begin to wrap my mind around how wild the concept of life is. You can be okay one day and be gone the next. I just- thank you for trusting me with this, you have no idea how happy it makes me to know you trust me this much."

He probably shouldn't have thought more about it or said anything about it because Atem didn't deny it which made what he was saying all the truer and it affected him. Yugi's libido was fueled by trust and making his partner happy and Atem's proximity and his trust was enough fuel to start a fire in the pit of his stomach and send the heat rushing to his growing cock.

He was becoming flustered and felt as though he was going to explode. He needed to let out some steam and how did he do it?

He vomited words.

"W-we should probably go back downstairs and watch a movie or something, play some games, maybe eat? We haven't done that in a while. I missed it... and you. I missed you. Good God! My words are running off without me and I can't seem to stop them. I'm gonna go, I should definitely go, maybe downstairs, maybe home. Who knows, I'll figure something out, okay? I think I'll be right outside the...." he trailed off as Atem now stood right in front of him and he had to focus his energy on more important things like breathing.

"You always ramble when you're nervous." Atem whispered and brought his face down to Yugi's, bringing their lips together in a soft, slow kiss that Yugi responded to immediately. Innocent and sweet that had their hearts pounding as though they wanted to be bonded together.

It took Yugi quite a few seconds to realize that he wasn't dreaming. Reality had slapped him so hard that he broke the kiss and yelled, "Wait! You kissed me!", in utter disbelief because, well, he didn't fucking believe it.

He needed to get his breathing under control before he started hyperventilating. His head was spinning, his heart was racketeering and his palms were sweaty, his body was shaking and the only organ which seemed to function properly was his dong, which was hard and ready for action.

"Yes. I probably should ha-"

"You like guys? You're gay?!?"

"Well I'd never really put a label on it. I like who likes me, male or female." He shrugged "You like me right?"

"...yeah?" And he was Lightning McQueen red.

"Well, there you have it."

"You like me?" He asked, voice still heavy with disbelief.

"I like you." Atem confirmed.

"Aaaannnddd it appears that I've forgiven you." He said, a dumb smile pulling at the corners of his lips as Atem smiled back and shook his head in utter amusement.

 _"He likes me!" Yugi's mind squealed_ and he kissed him again for good measure.


	11. Peace, Pleasure and A Dead Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t chew me out... I’ve been out of it and dancing between ships but I’m back. I think. I hope. Sighhhhhh.

"Ah! Wait, wait, wait, stop!" Yugi gasped and jumped back when their groins bumped and hard, clothed flesh ground together when they certainly should not have.

The two separated from each other with a loud, wet pop. Like bubblegum or some....you know...some other shit that pops wetly.

Yugi had been sucking on Atem's bottom lip at the time and his teeth unknowingly nicked him, leaving him with a meager incision that had started bleeding. Atem threw his head back with a loud, drawn out exhale before making eye contact, making no effort to hide looking as inconvenienced as he felt.

He snaked his tongue out and Yugi watched, spellbound as it glided along his bottom lip before clamping his teeth down on it and groaning in frustration, clearly very unimpressed by the newly distinguished distance and Yugi's interruption.

Because the show was getting really good and now was just the absolute worst time for a fucking intermission.

His busted lip tasted of rusted metal - the deliciously tangy taste of blood - and he sucked on it under the guise of wanting to stop the bleeding some and not because he liked it because he definitely didn't like it - definitely.

Right. Glutton for pain and punishment he was.

It wasn't Yugi's intention to be rough or harm him even but it turned him on a just tad and he wanted more.

Yugi's attention was still on Atem's mouth and the lip between his teeth and the way his tongue would poke out every now and then to lick the abused flesh and he felt as though Atem knew how much the action affected him and was doing it on purpose and he wanted to just stalk up to him, yank the damn lip out and claim it as his own.

Atem's eyes flickered to Yugi's crotch in his grey sweats, honing in on the tent he saw there - a sword perhaps? Maybe a cucumber or a piece of wood - that was high enough to accommodate a full house circus show with a wide assortment of very large, very wild animals before making eye contact once more.

Atem raised an eyebrow in mimed question and Yugi couldn't help but shift a little under his gaze, his face heating up to unsafe temperatures and he wished his body would just combust and whittle to ashes so that his embarrassment would be no more. He mentally slapped himself for putting those pants on.

They were practically the male version of sundresses, but instead of an open show to a nice shape and even nicer asses, they were handing out open invitations to the crotch parade.

Special appearance: _The penis float._

 

 _His_ penis float - adorned with bulging veins and pre cum.

 

He was hot, hard and ready to go. Every movement Yugi made was clearly visible to whoever was looking and Atem had been looking and his fucking body responded to him against his wishes.

Traitorous fucking thing.

It was like his dick could tell Atem was watching and it twitched for him because it liked being under his attention and it liked him more than it liked Yugi.

" _He's mine. I liked him first!_ " he chastised and his cock had the fucking nerve to twitch again as though it was saying " _Fuck You!_ "

He was conjuring up an argument with his penis in his mind and getting upset about it.

He shook his head, trying to rid it of the intrusive and very much unwelcome thoughts that he was having. He'd clearly lost his marbles and his cock was still hard and it did nothing to solidify the point he was trying to make - that he _needed_  to stop - only he didn't want to because in his mind, he wanted this, the sex, in a super crazy way and his body wanted it even more.

He was under a hell fire of a gaze alone, seeing Atem clearly undressing him with his eyes and it felt far hotter, more satisfying and intimate than he had ever felt every time he got himself off to thoughts of the man now standing before him with his lip between his fucking teeth.

 

He cleared his throat then because ' _down boy, your aggression is showing._ '

 

"Awful timing, I know, but maybe we should... maybe we should stop before this leads too far.", because to him Atem had opened up himself to him, revisiting his past and reliving painful memories and could still be in a vulnerable place, wounded and raw and it would be awful to sleep with him and see Atem regret him in the morning when his mind was sharp and his emotions were clear.

And yes, he thought it was a little selfish to think of himself in the moment because he prides himself on being selfless and truly, he loves it so he tries his very best to be but in the moment, he also wasn't, selfish that is.

Maybe he was a hint of both. Maybe practical. Human. He didn't want Atem to have any regrets more than he didn't want to be the thing he regretted. He was both selfish and selfless in one, willing to put his boner on the back burner if it meant preserving them both.

 

Atem really wasn't vulnerable however. Well maybe he was but he certainly didn't think he was and if he was, he didn't care much.

But who really thinks they are anyway?

Not him, that's for sure.

Vulnerability was like a taboo, a weakness not meant to be shown, one to be loathed.

Denial was another drug he often got himself high on and he liked to ride it until he wheels were dry and busted and the frame was coated in rust, broken into pieces so far beyond repair that there's nothing left to ride. And sure, maybe he was still a little hurt because the road down memory lane had a bunch of fucking legos littering it and he decided to tread barefooted but he'd never felt as secure as he did in that moment in a very -VERY- long time.

So tonight, tonight, he'll hop off that ride of denial if only it means that Yugi has some peace of mind. He'd admit defeat and vulnerability because he knew that he can trust Yugi with it more than he trusted himself.

"I uh... I guess you're right." He agreed because he wanted to make Yugi feel as comfortable as possible "It's way too soon for sex I suppose." and he said that like he wasn't sure because he wasn't.

Guys think with their penises and his wanted some fucking fun and if his dick could've spoken, it would've told him to speak for his goddamn self. Poor thing couldn't remember when last it got excitement like this.

One night stands were never really his thing, he could never find anyone that stirred his libido and masturbating to mental images of fictional characters he formed a bond with in the books that he read just didn't do it for him after a while.

Life had been fucking him thoroughly though, maybe that counts for something?

It doesn't.

He felt more dissatisfied and frustrated than ever.

Life was not a good lay...it was rough and hard and very fucking dry.

That one girl he used to fuck, Kaito, moved away to some god forsaken town somewhere behind the good Lord's back and he hadn't had a fuck since. Unfortunate really.

 _She_ had been a good lay.

She'd been his first and only friend when he first started working at the museum. They worked the floor together, went to lunch together and sometimes they went out for after-work drinks together.

She was cute, with big brown eyes, curly black hair, full lips, brown skin about two shades darker than his, a pair of some big ol' bouncy boobs that always stood out regardless of what she wore and a small waist that accented a really nice ass.

She was there for him when he had no one else and quickly took on the role of a fun big sister and would listen to his problems and offer him advice and much needed comfort. They had a close, comfortable friendship that worked and he hesitated to tell her nothing, so when she had brought up his sex life and he revealed that he had none - it was a sex life in a locked casket, complete with drying bones and spiderwebs - she was visibly appalled and when he explained that between his early life being homeschooled, his mother dying, his father beating the fuck out of him and then him ultimately dying as well left him with little time to think about it, she didn't show him pity. She simply understood and it was what he liked about her.

He didn't need a fucking pity party. He’d had more of those than he's had birthdays. He just needed a friend, someone to be there that he knew cared, and she did. Then she asked him how he felt about one night stands and he told her that he thought something was wrong with him because he sometimes felt aroused when he thought about the characters he grew to love in his books but never really felt aroused or bothered when he saw a hot stranger, never felt the need to take them home and fuck them so she kissed him long and hard and then she asked him if he ever felt arousal for his friends and his brilliant response while his brain was somewhat short circuiting was, "Right now I do".

 

"We should fuck", she told him then.

"We should", he agreed.

And so they did.

Often.

 

Sometimes at his place, sometimes at work. They were like two wild animals in heat with the way they attacked each other and then she left like everyone always did and he felt depressed, stopped calling his family, decided to take the high road - quite literally - never bothered to form a bond with anyone else after that - became a hermit person - because he couldn't handle it if he became attached and they left too. He never felt arousal for another person after that because he had no bond....and then Yugi came along.

He was painfully beautiful, funny, caring....broke down Atem's walls when he refused to open his door and let him in.

Yugi was determined and he didn't know exactly when it happened or what initiated it. Maybe it was the day Yugi told him that they were friends or maybe it was the day Yugi found him at his most vulnerable and never left but he felt a connection, a strong one, and he felt lust and desire awaken within him, crawling out from their sarcophagus' hidden away somewhere deep in his body after long dying and decaying. They were revived and they craved Yugi and only Yugi and he fought them because he didn't want to get in too deep and then Yugi to left him like Kaito did.

But Yugi didn't leave, he did.

Fucking coward.

But he didn't have to fear that anymore right? They talked, he apologized, Yugi promised and they were on the same page. They both wanted each other and maybe it was too soon for them to have sex but he wanted to do something, maybe just hold him if that's all he'd allow. His body was on fire with need and the only thing that could appease him was Yugi. The same Yugi whom had started to leave his room.

"Butttt" he said loudly, catching the other's attention and halting him dead in his tracks "I do want to do something with you. We don't have to do anything intense."

"When you say intense..." Yugi inquired because this was important information for future encounters.

"I don't know.. anything but sex maybe? I wanted to at least take you out to dinner before uh...things got to that point."

Yugi hummed at that. He could live with that arrangement. Hell, he was planning a goddamn date right now because this was happening and he wanted to do it all before he woke up from this amazing dream he was obviously having.

"It's fine. Uhhh... No sex is fine. So... we can ..uh kiss some more if you want" and Atem nodded and already started approaching him and he was already standing in front of Yugi when the shorter man looked sternly at him and added "but we stop if it's too much."

Atem didn’t reply, instead he dipped his head and kissed him slowly, savoring every minute and memorizing every aspect. The feel of Yugi soft lips still swollen from the previous round of kissing, the soft skin of his cheeks that would no doubt be flushed, Yugi's hand in his hair, caressing his scalp and bringing their faces even closer, trying to merge them into one because no matter how close they got, close just wasn't close enough. They broke apart slower and with much less force than the first time - no bubblegum sounds-, with their foreheads against each other as they tried to regulate their breathing and maintain the innocence of their actions. And it was great.

It was really fucking great.

Yugi was looking at him through his heavy lidded eyes, looking flushed and aroused and just delectable and Atem wanted to claim his mouth again and then claim him or let Yugi do the claiming, he honestly didn't care which, but he couldn't and so he didn't. Instead he cleared his suddenly too dry throat and, "I was thinking that maybe we get ready for bed and we stay up a bit so that you can tell me all what I missed out on those past few weeks I was being a complete idiot?" Atem said against his lips, his breath brushing Yugi's face in a warm, delicious way.

Yugi's eyes lit up at the idea, clearly delighted to fill him in on what he regretfully missed and Atem made a mental note to try his very best not to fall asleep until he heard all of it or until Yugi fell asleep first because it was the least he could do when he saw the man's eyes sparkle with such enthusiasm at such a simple request.

Then they were clean and dressed in pajamas and Atem was heading out the room so that they can go to the one Yugi usually occupied and he can take his usual spot on the loveseat he usually slept on when they spent the night together at his place and Yugi stopped him with a little noise that sounded like a whistle got stuck in his throat but it was a cute whistle so it was okay.

"I uhh... I was wondering if um... if you wanted to sleep in your bed tonight and if you want to share the bed with me? I mean you don't have to. We can go to the other room, I know you usually sleep on that couch where you're comfortable and I don't want to make you uncomfortable-"

"Yugi" the darker man interjected to stop Yugi from his nervous ramble, taking note of how Yugi refused to make eye contact with him and instead focused on something something at the back of his head while his cheeks were growing a rosier shade of pink by the second.

Atem tried not to laugh at the man's bashfulness as he marveled in how sweet it was that Yugi was sporting a very impressive hard on and was ready to have sex with him not too long ago and now he was so timid about them sharing a bed for sleeping.

"Are you sure you want me to?"

"Yes." Yugi said with a tone of finality, finally meeting his gaze to show just how serious he was, pink cheeks and all. So they climbed in bed together, kissed, talked, kissed some more and eventually they fell asleep, tangled in each other's limbs and it was a peaceful sleep, better than what they'd both had in a while when they were so far away from each other.

 

When Yugi woke up, it was to an empty bed and with a disoriented mind. He didn't know dreams from reality and he had no idea where he was, who's bed he was in and what he was doing here. He wasn't at home in his bed nor was he on his couch, that much was certain. His mind shifted between an image of him sleeping on his sofa after Alister had left, drunk and exhausted while the other image was of him talking to and kissing the man he'd been missing and yearning for over the past three weeks but...he and Atem kissing?

Surely it had to be a dream.

He'd conjured much stranger things. Maybe he'd been kidnapped.

Who would kidnap him and keep him in such a nice room like thi- Seto.

But it wasn't Seto.

 

Then full consciousness seized him as his brain finished rebooting, slow and drawn out like the very first computer to have ever existed and with that came realization as he looked at the room, the color of the sheets, the thick drapes, the maroon and grey colored paint on the walls, the big wardrobe and bookshelf at the corners, the dresser, the bedside tables with Atem's family photo, the mirror on the ceiling that he hadn't noticed until he'd climbed into bed and stared up at it.

 

_***_

_"I thought that you'd gone on a vacation when I saw you leave home with the suitcase. So you've been going to work this entire time?" Yugi asked, cheek pressed against the pillows as he laid in bed under the blankets with his face inches away from Atem who was sharing the bed with him._

_It felt comfortable and familiar, like it's what they've been doing since forever even though they haven't seen each other in almost a month and Atem had never once slept in the same bed with him but always in the loveseat not too far away._

_"Yes. We've had quite a few new items shipped over that needed deciphering so I had my work cut out for me, I couldn't just neglect that and run away" and he flinched as he said it, the choice of words and the implications of what he said hitting him because he had no problem running away from Yugi but Yugi said nothing as he looked at him with nothing but understanding for his hypocrisy._

_"Anyway....enough about me. What have you been up to in my absence?"_

_"Oh, nothing much, just had a meeting with the board recently about my game."_

_"That little smile on your face tells me that you're being far too modest. It was definitely something major. Care to tell me?"_

_"Mmmmm... only because you asked so nicely and not because you could see right through me. Because you can't. You're blind and you can't see shit. Blind I say."_

_"Hah. I see your soul Motou. I have no doubt that I may go blind with how bright the light from you hit me, now quit stalling Hikari, spill."_

 

_Hikari... he remembered and still saw him as his other half. He couldn’t help the gentleness of his voice when he responded "Wasn't stalling but fine. I presented my game to them."_

_"Did they like it?"_

_"Well, I don't know how they felt about the other one but the one that I presented to them... they seemed to like it well enough. As long as it makes them money, I don’t think they care what it is."_

_"One that you presented? You didn't present the dueling game you told me about?"_

_"Yes but I made a few altercations to it. Coming to think of it, I think you'll like it a lot."_

_"You're being quite cryptic tonight."_

_"I just want you to work for your answer." Yugi shrugged as a little smile tugged on Atem's lips at his antics. "I'm sure you remember the story about the nameless pharaoh that both you and grandpa had told me about." An nod was the answer and the answer was good enough "Well, the story really fascinated me and then I had an idea - to create a VRPG world based on it."_

 

_Silence._

 

_"Atem? Did I say something wrong?"_

_"What? No! It just made me think about my father and I think he would've liked it. It sounds amazing Yugi, I can't wait to play it."_

_"Are you certain?"_

_"One hundred percent but what inspired the change?"_

_He thought about it, wondering if it’d be weird if Atem knew the truth but there he was, in his bed, looking into those eyes. He finally got him back and he wanted him to stay, needed him to know just how important he is and so he didn’t lie when he looked into those eyes and said, "You."_

_"Me?!"_

_"Uh... well you initiated my train of thought. I uh... I'd been thinking about you a lot when you were absent, couldn't get you out of my head, not even to work. I just couldn't focus on anything but you, even when I was trying to work on my game. I had been thinking about you at one point and I remembered that day we spoke about that Pharaoh and it just clicked, like the universe was trying to tell me something. Yo-you're important to me Atem and I.." he rolled onto his back and looked at the reflection in the ceiling "Well, you left and I couldn't forget you, didn't want to. It was harder trying not to think about you and so I did. I thought about you and the game just happened. Hit me like a tonne of bricks, that idea."_

_The room was silent again as he stared at their reflections in the ceiling and patiently waiting for Atem to ask him to leave because he was being way too intense but instead, he saw and felt fingers on his jaw, gently turning his head so that amethyst met ruby and there was an intensity in those eyes and a small smile on Atem's lips, gentle and sweet and a little vulnerable and Yugi held his breath. Afraid that if he breathed or blinked, he'd ruin it, whatever it was._

_So he stayed, unblinking, not breathing._

_Still._

_And Atem kissed him._

 

_It was the sweetest kiss of the night so far and it felt like it held every emotion Atem was feeling, like he was so grateful and happy and even a little surprised that someone cared about him that much to think about him and not want to let him go and it hurt Yugi whenever Atem got like this because he deserved so more than the shitty hand life dealt and if he could go back and fix it, he would if only it meant the man in front of him would be better._

_This kiss broke off just as softly, Atem's fingers rubbing soothing circles on his cheek and he looked at him, eyes red and beautiful and intense and it was the last thing Yugi saw as he drifted off t_ o _sleep_.

 ***

Yugi had no idea what time it was, what day it was or where the fuck his phone was and he was laying in bed daydreaming when he decided to get off the bed and head the bathroom when the pressure in his bladder had become too much of a nuisance to ignore. The decor in there looked no less amazing in the daylight than it did under the fluorescent light the night prior and he took it all in while sighing with contentment at his now empty bladder. Yugi was washing his hands when he took notice of a second toothbrush sitting neatly in the toothbrush holder that he didn't remember seeing there before and upon further inspection, noticed that it was the one that he designated to Atem's house.

It was a simple act really, just moving a toothbrush from one room and placing it in the other but that didn't stop the butterflies in his stomach to stop dancing. It was so simple and just sweet and so fucking thoughtful and it made him fall even harder.

He let out a little sigh that was a mix of happy and wary all in one as he finished brushing his teeth and he couldn't help but wonder what he'd do if Atem happened to change his mind about this sometime again and he promptly halted those thoughts and decided to focus on the here and now and right here, right now, he had no idea where his phone was and he had no recollection of telling his friends that he was alive and well and that Alister hadn't murdered him or that Atem was back and he was no longer sulking.

 

 _Operation: find phone_ , was at the forefront of his mind as he rushed down the stairs to head to his home, as thoughts of his friends chewing him the fuck out and possibly hitting him upside the head for making them worried filled his mind and he'd almost forgotten about Atem and he'd come to a screeching halt that made him glide a bit along the marble before turning on his heels to enter the kitchen when the doorbell rang and oh fuck....he hoped that wasn't Jou.

Atem peaked out from the kitchen at the sound and saw Yugi standing with his back to the door with his eyes practically out of his head and his posture stiff as ever and flashed him a smile and chirped, "Good morning sleepy head! Since you're so close to the door and I'm making breakfast, can you get that for me?" and just like that he was gone, leaving Yugi to his possible scolding and Yugi turned around and slowly, fucking dreadfully really, made his way to the door when the bell rang again and when he opened it, his breath caught and his eyes, which he thought had reached maximum enlargement before, grew even bigger because what the-

"You've gotten quite pale since I've last seen you Atem, and are those contacts?"

And Yugi stood there, mouth gaping and feeling a bit confused and a little sick but he forced himself to reply " Uh.. I'm not Atem." , in a voice that came out a lot steadier than he felt.

"I figured as much." The man chuckled, "Do you mind calling him for me? We have some business to discuss."

Yugi nodded mildly while maintaining eye contact as though if he so much as blinked or turned away, the man would vanish and leaned back a bit so that he wouldn't be yelling directly into the man's face as he called out loud enough to be heard in the kitchen.

 

"Atem, your father's at the door!"


	12. Up, Up and to Shit!

"Oh goodness, it's a fucking miracle!", was the very first thought that bounced around Atem's head when he peeled his eyes open only for them to land on Yugi's beautifully peaceful sleeping face not too far from his. There wasn't that usual lag that transpires after consciousness hits that slowly shifts from hazy sleep to rapidly blinking awareness. No, what he experienced was immediate alertness and joy. It was much too great.

Yugi was there, in his bed and last night they talked and they kissed 'in his bed', and he dwells on the location like it's the most important thing ever and maybe it is. All he knows is that it's something he'll keep chanting because it's a very, very crucial piece of information and every time he gets into this very bed now, that's what he'll remember.

You're probably thinking that _'shouldn't a kiss hold more weight in terms of significance?'_

You'd be inclined to think so until you overthink it in the way that Atem does everything because he's already ran it through his mind and deduced that Yugi could literally share a kiss with anyone if he wanted to, could've kissed Atem even, in a friendly game of truth or dare or while drunk and have it mean absolutely nothing.

Of course he knew the kisses they shared last night meant something however, he'd beg to differ that on the ladder steady competing for the place of first, between Yugi being comfortable enough to lie in his bed, share his blankets and his ideas about work and overall such an intimate space with him pretty much trumps the kissing. It was just so perfect and domestic and he loved it and he wanted to do it again and again and again.

Don't get him wrong, the kissing was great. God was it great but for a guy that needs comfort the way Atem does, the kissing really would have to settle for second place. There wasn't anything sexual about it and honestly, it's not like it needed be, just the simple amenity and he's a goner.

Fuck sex, he's gone without it so long, what's a little while longer. It's Yugi and he's definitely worth it.

 

So here he is and he's so grossly happy that he climbs out of bed with a hum in the back of his throat and his body swaying as he gets into the bathroom to do his business - a little potty dance and all that - and organize for the day. He's brushing his teeth when he realizes that Yugi's toothbrush is in the other room and discerns that he doesn't want him to have to go get it. He wants Yugi's toothbrush next to his so that he knows that this room can be as much his as it is Atem's and so Atem doesn't think twice about fetching it and placing it into the cup next to his lonely one and the sight makes him happier believe it or not.

Alright, so maybe it's much too soon to be sharing his intimate space so quickly - because trust and believe that the small things hurt the most when shit explodes - when he and Yugi have yet to talk about what they are to each other but he doesn't dwell on it for more than a second because if Yugi's not ready... well that's for future Atem to deal with.

Current Atem is stewing in ecstasy.

He's so determined to keep this magic alive that after, he's rushing down the stairs to make breakfast and tells himself that if Yugi doesn't wake up by the time he's done, he'd surprise him with breakfast in bed but he sets the table and places a candle at the center for a little flourish just in case that doesn't happen.

He's fucking happy.

His humming doesn't let up, in fact, he's added ad-libs and the works now.

He can't place when last he's felt this light and carefree. He's not too worried about his dark secrets getting out - not that he has any, maybe he does, as we've established somewhere previously, he's got a mansion on the hill in the town of Denial - or being judged when his mood takes a turn for the worse because Yugi knows all about his darkness and he's seen him at his absolute terrible, drunk and on the brink of death, drunk and beaten and bruised and loving the pain like the masochist he is and he's not worried about feeling like a charity case because he knows Yugi doesn't see him that way. He knows that Yugi is as honest as he is beautiful. His eyes are a clear window to his soul and his emotions and when Yugi says that he likes him he knows it's the honest to goodness truth because he can literally see it there.

So his humming becomes singing and there's nothing that can ruin his mood.

Then Yugi is up and racing down the stairs like a litter of over energetic puppies and he's not worried as to why. He doesn't panic and think that "fuck, maybe he regrets it after all!". He's content and confident enough to not let his mean ass brain ruin this for him because fuck this anxiety okay.

 

And then the doorbell rings.

 

Heh. No worries. Must be one of Yugi's friends because the only visitors Atem ever gets are debt collectors and he made sure to tell that guy to fuck off and he stopped by the bank to make sure the message was relayed to everyone there as well.

He sticks his head out the kitchen and sees Yugi with his posture stiff like leather in the sun and his eyes wide and panicked and he tries not to laugh but he can't help the smile that finds its way on his face and he can't help the chipper in his voice when he asks Yugi to get the door and goes back to what he was doing.

Obviously, one of them will be getting chewed out this morning.

Not even that knowledge can upset him. He'll deal with whichever one of Yugi's friends wants his head.

So he's humming again and breakfast is almost done - pancakes and eggs with bacon, a bowl with fresh strawberries, apples, peaches and all other fruit, and homemade mimosa. He knows they won't eat half the things there but it doesn't matter, it makes him happy either way. He's been meaning to thank Yugi for all he's done for him these months past and he's only just beginning to show his gratitude. 

 

And then a figurative bucket of ice cold water washes over him and dread seeps in when he hears Yugi's voice traveling to the kitchen rather stiffly telling him that his "father" is at the door.

The humming ceases immediately.

In hindsight, he probably should've been more prepared for this with the way his life usually takes a very sharp turn into Shitville more often than not.

For fuck sake, his first clue should've been the pleasant start to the morning because he hasn't had a good night _and_ good morning in years.

 

It was practically anathema for him.

And of course, of all the fucking days the year had to offer... this one. 

Why did it have to be this one?

 

"Fuck", he mutters under his breath, scrunching his eyes shut, setting his things aside and covering them before he steels his expression to one of exuberant calm even though he feels anything but. In fact, he's seething. His body feels like a thoroughly shaken pressurized can of soda with the molecules dancing haphazardly inside waiting for the lid to pop and for the contents to spray.

He's not going to pop his lid.

He promises himself that much.

He approaches the door where his...friend?....boyfriend?... damnit, where his Yugi is standing and Yugi doesn't take his eye off the man once, not even to acknowledge Atem's arrival. It's like he pinned the man down with his gaze like a cop would with handcuffs and a knee to the back and he's not releasing his prisoner until he's certain his partner has the reigns and Atem feels a swell of pride in his chest because from Yugi's rigid stance alone, he can see that the guy is fucking freaked and who'd blame him.

Atem had shown him a picture of his very dead father less than twenty four hours ago and there he is, an exact replica albeit older, on his porch.

He must have a whirlpool of questions swirling around in his mind.

 

"Ah Atem. It's so nice to see you after all this time. How have you been? You look well.", he starts.

Here we go.

Why is it that the very first thing to leave the man's mouth happens to be a heavy load and honestly, why is he even surprised?

 

"Cut the bullshit! Why are you here?" Pleasantries be damned. He spat the words out and forced a smile but it's more a grimace than anything else and Yugi flinches at the abruptness and venom in his voice because he's never heard Atem talk like that before. Atem's already tired of this conversation and it's yet to really begin.

His lid is already slowly popping, crack by crack and the molecules are all the more erratic, sensing freedom.

Yugi doesn't know the man but he knows Atem wouldn't lie to him about his dead father and so he puts two and twenty five together and deduces that it's twenty seven and this must be Atem's uncle and immediately he fucking hates him. Yugi's startled at the tone Atem takes but he's over it just as quickly because he knows it's justified.

Here's this man, standing at Atem's door with an air of indifference, wearing Atem's father's face and making idle smalltalk about Atem's wellbeing and he wants to punch him. He hurt _his_ Atem when he should've been there to keep him from harm and pain. He hurt _his_ Atem and he doesn't give a damn if he's doing well and he decides that right now, he should go. Retrieving his phone, which had long been forgotten up until this point, seems like the perfect idea right now.

 

"So rude Atem, honestly, you'd think your parents raised you better than that."

Atem physically flinches at the casual mention of his parents by his shitbucket of an uncle. His casual dab at his very dead parents and their parenting. His very dead parents that died when he was much too young. The very parents that left the reigns to _him_ , Akhenadin, to ensure he helped Atem with whatever they didn't get the chance to.

"Anyway, we need have much to discuss and  it's important.", he continues as though he's not threading on very thin ice right now.

The man is met with stone cold silence and hard glares, the tension in the air so heavy, it could create a mansion sized crater in the earth and Akhenadin secretly revels in it because he can see Atem fighting to keep his facade of impassiveness.

"Aren't you going to let me in?", he asks with false politeness because getting Atem riled up is fun.

"I don't think you'd be staying long enough to warrant such courtesies. Matter of fact, you're actually quite lucky to be standing on my porch right now old man." Atem grits out from between his teeth. It's a wonder they didn't crumble to dust under the pressure he's putting them under.

"I own thirty percent of this house Atem, let's not casually forget that."

"Huh... you're right. Your porch then." He replies with a shrug and if he's had just about enough of this conversation before, he is completely over it now. The man flew all the way from Egypt to argue with him about a house, a fucking house!!, but couldn't make it to his brother's funeral or be there for him when he needed a guardian to keep him from going off the rails.

Honestly, he should slam the door in his face and leave him out there with his "thirty percent". He can remove to porch and fucking go with it for all he cared. Break it off piece by piece, fold it up neatly, tuck it all the way up his asshole and fly back to Egypt with it lodged in there.

"Atem.." he says slowly, dangerously. He's had enough of their little game.

"Akhenadin." Atem replies in the same manner. He wasn't playing to begin with.

The tension is crushing now and Yugi can't take it anymore. He's not a violent person by any means. He honestly abhors it but then again, no one has ever made him this upset before. He's mad at the guy and mad at himself for being made to feel this way and he needs to breathe somewhere away from all the testosterone to avoid contracting "chest-puffing syndrome".

"I think I should go." He announces none too quietly and the two men jumped. Yugi hasn't taken his eyes off the man, Akhenadin, the entire conversation so the action was quite hard to miss and with Atem pressed somewhat beside him, he felt it and it's quite obvious that in the midst of their heated "conversation", they'd forgotten he was there.

He's not even offended. In fact, he's a little happy about it. He doesn't want a be a part of their exchange.

"You don't have to." Atem says

"Yes, I think that would be best." Akhenadin says at the very same time and the look they send each other is absolutely murderous. If the atmosphere wasn't so heated he probably would've laughed a little.

Instead, 

"I actually really need to find my phone and let my friends know that I'm alive and I should probably get changed as well, yeah?" Yugi says as he finally peels his gaze from the man and sicks it onto Atem and Atem nods once, his eyes tired and vulnerable.

"You'll come back?" He asks in a tone and sweet and very different from the one he used with his uncle not too long ago.

A tone reserved for him. It makes him happy that Atem could set aside his obvious aggression just to be sweet to him.

"Always." He replies and he means it and they keep that eye lock for a while longer, transmitting unspoken messages to each other in a way they'd somehow developed.

Yugi hates violence, he really, really does, but right now, he's giving Atem free reign. He knows Atem is keeping his temper in check for his sake, he sees him holding his tongue and trying his very best not to aggravate the already shitty situation.

He knows that Atem needs him there to keep him in check so that he doesn't pop off but he also knows that if Atem keeps what he's feeling bottled up that the contents would overflow and slap him in the face sooner or later. So he's giving him free reign and he's trusting him and it should make him feel bad about this but he doesn't because he low key wishes to punch the man as well and if Atem happens to while he's at home, well...... he'll let do with it. He can't actively condone violence if he's there to see it so he's going to go home and he's putting all his trust and faith in Atem to not end up at the police station.

Atem understands. He knows what Yugi's doing and it almost makes him laugh. He sees the trust and the warning there telling him not to do anything stupid but he also sees the hidden anger directed at his asshole of an uncle on his behalf and he just wants to kiss him. Goodness he wants to kiss him.

How could he ever think that giving Yugi up was the right choice. How could he ever think that Yugi would abandon him over something as minor as a change of address.

It's crazy the moment epiphanies seem to happen but he's thrown head first into one and he realizes right there, standing at his door with Yugi that no one or nothing else matters.

It's almost as though Yugi read his mind if the smile that found its way onto his face was anything to go by and Atem can't help himself, he leans down and kisses him. Soft and innocent. Just a brush of lips and then Yugi is going, but not without sending a dirty look at Akhenadin as he passes him.

They both watch Yugi go to his house and when he finally disappears, Akhenadin opens his fucking trashcan of a mouth to speak.

"Huh, I didn't know you liked men.", he said, thinly veiled disgust in his statement.

Great so he's a fucking homophobe too. The guy can't get any worse.

Atem accepts Yugi's warning and his permission as what it is and so he ditches that fake calm and barely feels anything when he says with non-disguised displeasure , "You'd probably know that and a lot more things if you weren't such a shitty 'guardian'. This conversation is great and all that but I have things and my boyfriend to do. Why the fuck are you here?"

Yugi's not his boyfriend and they aren't fucking but Akhenadin doesn't need to know that.

Akhenadin is taken aback by the very obvious shift in Atem's tone and demeanor and it's almost as though he's getting the message that there's nothing holding Atem back from punching him square in the jaw now.

He recovers his composure quickly enough like the conniving snake he is and he answers seriously, all business now.

 

"You're selling the house without my permission."

"Wasn't aware that I needed it."

"You've got some nerve. I own thirty percent of this house and you didn't even ask me. You put the offer on our family site as though you have the right to. You can't sell something that doesn't belong to you and I never agreed to selling my percentage." 

"The family site.... I wasn't aware that I needed approval to post on the family site that _my family_ helped create. Or am I not family?"

"Your parents are dead and so the site belongs to me and mine, you need to ask before you post anything on our platform."

"I see...... " he feels like he’s just been punched in the gut and he wants to double over and wheeze and cry but he can’t. He can’t show any weakness because evil thrives on such things. “Whatever. So what are you saying? I can't sell the house?"

The smile that stretched across the other man's face was simply nasty. Lecherous and evil like him.

The itch to erase it was very strong.

"I know you're in debt and honestly, I don't care. I would've refused you permission and let you rot in your misery if it were up to me but my darling daughter always had a soft spot for you and she claims that she's always loved this house so much, so I'll do you a favor Atem." His name is said as though it's something so dirty that it hurts him just a little. "I'll buy your seventy present from you. That's more than enough to pay off my brother's debt."

"You're buying the house." And the disbelief that laced his voice was in no way concealed.

"You ought to be thanking me. I've even brought both Mana and Mahad with me on this trip. I won't be staying but I do expect you to show them the utmost hospitality. They will be the owners after all and when I'm done paying, which would be very soon, I expect you pack your shit and find somewhere else to live."

"You're kicking me out of my parents' home for your children to move in?" He couldn't help the jealousy or anger he felt in that moment but he willed himself to calm down.

"Mmm. I'll be giving you a down payment today and I’ll probably bring them back here later in the evening so you and that "boyfriend" of yours need to be mindful. You're not the only occupants of the house anymore, they’ll be staying with you until the purchase is made and they’ll be living here even after you leave."

"The house isn't sold yet old man and it's quite big but if I feel like getting fucked on the sofa while your kids are in the kitchen, I'll get fucked on my goddamn sofa. Now if that's all, get fuck off of my porch. I've changed my mind, the backyard is yours so you better get out of my face before I bury you in it."

Akhenadin's eyebrows shot up at Atem's choice of words but the smile that settled on his face was anything but happy and with a final nod and a little wave, he was gone.

 

Atem was.... seething.

Atem was seething and he was beginning to panic.

His uncle barely made it to his car when his breathing begins feeling labored.

 

 _'No, no I'm not fucking doing this.'_ He thinks to himself as he feels the telltale signs of a panic attack fast approaching.

He's not going to sit on the floor and hyperventilate until he passes out. He refuses.

He shuts his door quickly and forcefully and practically sprints to his bar and yanks a bottle of whiskey from behind the counter and he doesn't even have it in himself to go sit on the sofa or get a glass. He's very exhausted all of a sudden and he just slides to the floor and brings the bottle up to his lipswith trembling hands to take a very healthy swing at it.

He shouldn't be doing this. He knows he shouldn't. He's a grown man and seeing his uncle should not affect him like this.

But it does.

It does because Akhenadin and his father look exactly alike, minor differences in their features here and there if you know what to look for and their voices are very similar as well. All he sees when he looks at the man is his father. The father that was once his hero turned villain. The father he adored.

But then Akhenadin looks at him like he's the scum of the earth and says his name like he took a taste of something terribly disgusting and he only sees the father that abused him and it took everything in him not to flinch and burst into tears like the damaged child he was so he put his defenses up and masked his feelings with anger and sarcastic and rude responses. But there aren't any more of those to shoot out because now he's alone with his thoughts and there isn't any anger that could protect him from his mind as it replays all the failures of his short life.

From his mother dying to the abuse to his father dying to him falling and falling and falling until he almost died and here he is now, wishing that he did so that he wouldn't be here failing still.

Before he knows it, the bottle is done, his cheeks are wet and his eyes are red and puffy.

Jesus, how long had he sat there?

Where's Yugi?

If he's smart, he's safe and far away from Atem and all his troubles. It'd be better for him if Yugi didn't have to deal with this. He didn't want Yugi to have to deal with this. He was a pitiful excuse for a man and he has no clue what Yugi sees in him or why he'd want to stay with such a fuck up. He does know however, that he doesn't want Yugi to see him like this so he tries to stand about three times and stumbling and shaking through every attempt until he's finally successful in planting his feet flat on the ground and standing and he's wobbling up the steps and to his room to crawl under his sheets and cocoon himself in a sad little heap.

His good mood and his elaborate breakfast long forgotten and he laughs a little because he's had breakfast if that bottle of whiskey did say so himself and it's not uncommon for him to drink alcohol in the mornings when people usually drank tea and coffee and juice but that's just him, you know?

This is just another normal morning for him where his mood is shot to shit and he gets buzzed, albeit more than usual and it's a bit comforting because it's familiar. It's like the universe is telling him to stop trying to be something he's not - happy - because that hasn't been him for a while and it's simply pretentious. The universe is telling him to just accept that he's a miserable soul that's better off in his dark solitude instead of that happy bubble he briefly existed in and at this point, who is he to argue with the all knowing, all encompassing universe?

Nobody, that's for sure. That's all he sees himself as. So he agrees with no heaviness in his heart as he accepts that, yes, it'll probably always be a little shitty for him because this is just part of him now and it'll always be as he closed his eyes and let the drunken haze of sleep swallow him.


	13. I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up To No Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go ahead. Tell me how terrible I am for leaving y’all dangling off a cliff like that.  
> Go on, I can take it.

Yugi searches for his phone for approximately half an hour before he finds it hidden underneath the couch and he can vaguely remember how it got there and he feels a little silly for checking places like the fridge and the cabinets and not checking there first.

He gingerly retrieves it, holding it as though it's a ticking time bomb; number count slowly cascading to the point of detonation. He sweats a bit and waits for it to hit zero and when he isn't completely obliterated to smithereens, he presses the home button to find out that, of course the little fucker is dead, it's been off the charger for approximately forty eight hours and he lets out a relieved breath as he dodges the explosion.... for now.

His phone is charging in the room over and he uses his time to shower and change into decent clothes, fix his hair and put on a bit of cologne and then he's back to that evil device again, looking at it with a glare as though it's the root of all his problems and his problems' problems.

 

Troublesome.

 

He picks it up and turns it on and he's pretty sure he flatlines.

The phone is having a seizure.

It tremors violently in his hand while frothing at the mouth, message tone signaling notification after notification.

 

97 missed calls, 10 voice messages, 20 text messages and some notifications from Facebook, Instagram and the like.

 

He goes through the missed calls first and there's at least twenty calls from each of his friends but what shocks him the most is the two he sees from Seto Kaiba.

Okay... okay, no need to panic.

 _"Seto calls me all the time."_

The laugh he lets out at that sounds like a sneeze mated with a fart and he aborts it just as quickly as he birthed it.

 

It's just two calls anyway.

Not even that much.

It's not a big deal.

 

Of course it's a big fucking deal!

That fact that Seto called means that everyone's very, VERY worried. They must think that Alister guy kidnapped him, murdered him and threw his butchered body off a cliff somewhere.

Okay, so he's overreacting. Maybe. It's very possible he isn't.

He decides to listen to the voicemails.

_"Hey Yugi, just checking to see if you got home safely. Saw you left with that red haired cutie, send me a text and let me know you're alright, okay?"_

Reasonable request.

_"Yugi, it's eight in the morning and you still didn't text me and you're not answering your cell. I know you're probably hungover and maybe floating in post orgasmic bliss but please call me. I'm worried."_

Okay. This is reasonable as well. She's not angry yet.

_“Why is it that lunch time is upon us and you haven’t sent one text message to any of us yet? Are you okay? Call me!”_

_"Yugi, it's three in the afternoon. Where are you!!!! You should be well awake by now. You're scaring me."_

_"Yugi I swear to God if you don't pick your phone up right now-"_

_"When I get my hands on you mister-"_

_"Yug, what the hell man. Why aren't you picking up? We've been calling ya like crazy and Anzu is freaking out. Aw man, if you don't get back to her, she's gonna rip ya a new one."_

_"Yugi!!!-"_

He skips and then he skips some more until he is greeted by Seto's monotone and very bored voice in his ear.

_"Hirenagi Alister, twenty five, lives in a one bedroom apartment, level three of The Moxy's apartmentcomplex, door number, six. Mother, Hirenagi Amelda and younger brother, Hirenagi Mikey, deceased, father..."_

Yugi cuts him off before he can go any further. He's instantly reminded that Seto Kaiba is a very terrifying man and he's not sure how he feels about that. He settles for feeling grateful that they're no longer enemies and moves along.

He skips through a few more of Anzu's messages afterward that all increase in levels of anger until he stumbles upon one that's eerily calm and that has him terribly worried. More so than Kaiba did.

 _"Hi Yugi!"_ , Anzu chirps sweetly, _"So we just had Kaiba track your location with that super cool watch he'd given you. Yeah, you know that one? The one that you never take of? Yeah, anyway, we see you're safe and sound, right across the street actually. I see that Atem's back. That's fine, that's great. I'm really happy he is-"_ and Yugi cuts it off before she finishes her rant because he's starting to get the chills and it's not the sweet, toe curling kind. Anzu's calm projected serious killing intent and he's sweating bullets at a rate that if he lifted his arms too high he's sure he can murder somebody.

 

He wants to call and apologize, explain what happened and the works but he's scared, he's terrified because Anzu isn't a violent person, no sir, she abhors it just as much as he does but she's the mother hen of the group - she'd smack them if she knew they called her that, violence be damned - and she does this thing when she's disappointed in them where she cries and gives them a thorough lecture which leaves you feeling like complete and utter shit.

He doesn't want to feel like shit.

He can't handle her disappointment right now and he selfishly also wants Atem there with him when the time does come so maybe he can get lectured too.

 

He’s plotting avoidance.

 

He can call Kaiba, he's the most practical of the group but he's also the most detached and he's not going to give one shit about Yugi's explanation nor apology because it matters not once he knows Yugi is safe, which he does and he'd also relay it - if he's even persuaded to do such - in such a manner that'll have his friends calling anyway.

_"He's alive and with his boyfriend. He also said to leave him alone."_

Yes. He can see the calls coming in already.

 

There's Mokuba, he's a pretty safe bet. High in authority, understanding, professional. He could relay Yugi's message to his friends but he doesn't think the guy would appreciate the responsibility. He also does not think Rebecca would appreciate Anzu lecturing her boyfriend when they had a rocky start before because of him.

 

Ryou is another safe bet. He's understanding and he very rarely casts judgement. He'd listen and he'd relay the message without a problem, that is, until he has to deal with Anzu because whoever is going to be talking to her has to convince her not to call him back and lecture him to tears. Ryou just is not the man for that job, in fact, he just might call Yugi and join the call so that he'd be in on the scolding he’s trying to dodge. Defeating the purpose of his planning entirely.

 

Tristan and Duke.....

No.

 

That leaves Jou on his list of people who can talk their way into and out of a situation. He's a bit wild, not great with words all the time but he's understanding and can be quite convincing. He's not completely immune to Anzu and her mothering but he's been living with his girlfriend for some time now so he's surely better at dealing with it. There's also the added bonus that said girlfriend can help as well.

Mai can be quite convincing in a way that makes you feel green if you go against what she suggested and that makes this perfect. Anzu is the mother and the mother does not want to feel immature and as though she doesn’t understand what her child is saying, what her baby needs and so, she'll listen when Mai and Jou say, "Don't call Yug, he'll talk to you when he's ready. _Trust him_."

Manipulation at its finest.

It’s brilliant.

So he calls Jou and the first ring is barely through when he hears, "Yug, what tha hell man?!?" and "So he finally calls huh? Hope you're okay hun!!" and he can't help but smile because goodness, he loves his friends.

He gets a scolding and a lecture from Mai and Jou both and he can't say that he didn't expect it. It still makes him feel bad and Mai makes him feel like a kid but he's over it in a flash when they tell him that "fineeeeee, we'll talk to Anzu for you.", and that scolding was well worth it if he can prolong Anzu's wrath for some time longer.

It gets even better when he tells them about how he and Atem are finally progressing into relationshiphood and they whoop and cheer and congratulate him for FINALLY getting out of the friendzone and then he remembers that he left Atem alone with his asshole of an uncle and that he's waiting for him and he tells them as such and the call ends with a "Way to go Yug!" and "Use protection Yugi!!!" And suddenly he's warm all over.

It's a good warmth.

A happy warmth.

He immediately wants to go share that warmth with Atem, to make him as happy as he feels. To see him laugh and smile and look at him with awe like he did when their faces were mere inches apart and he told him his ideas for the game and how he was his main source of inspiration. He loves that look, loves being the reason for it and being on the receiving end of it.

 

He darts over the street like his ass is on fire and is greeted by loneliness and silence. He didn't expect to see the police or hear yelling when he got there but he also wasn't prepared for the dead quiet that he's met with either. It's odd and it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. 

He doesn't like it. 

Atem knew he was returning right. But he isn't in the kitchen cooking, in fact, breakfast doesn't look complete and it also doesn't look like anything was eaten if the lack of dishes in the sink or dishwasher are anything to go by. There's absolutely no signs of life in the living room - ironic - and the downstairs as a whole.

He checks the next plausible place and discovers a lump covered and tucked under the blankets and he lets out a relieved breath. Atem is there, sound asleep and smelling like... a bottle of whiskey?

No, that can't be right. He wasn't gone for that long and he knows Atem said he'd try. Granted he said that _yesterday_ but he said it with such conviction that Yugi believed it. Trusted it without a second thought.

The conversation must've taken such a deep turn south in his absence he concludes and he feels terrible about it. He left Atem to deal with such a heavy burden, a terrible ghost from the past all by himself because he foolishly thought he'd be able to handle it. He's supposed to be there for him now, stay by his side, be his strength when he needs it, make him happy and he couldn't do that on the first day of the job. His heart aches.

He releases a heavy sigh and sits on the bed, watching the man before him sleep for a bit before gently tucking some hair behind his ear and trailing a light palm down to settle on his cheek and he practically melts into a puddle when Atem shifts and turns his face toward his hand in his sleep chasing more of his touch.

Yugi loves him. He's known a while now and sometimes he feels like it’s too much too fast but...

He can't help it.

He kisses him then. Feather light and fleeting before crawling into bed and settling between the sheets and behind Atem, lazily throwing an arm over him and spooning him before drifting off to sleep.

 

It's not a knock but the sound of a doorbell that wakes him this time and he blearily wonders how long Atem has had one of those since he's never once heard it or used it but then he considers the size of the house and he knows they wouldn't hear a knock at the door from all the way up here and concludes that yes, a doorbell makes a lot of sense.

Atem is still asleep and so blissfully dead to the world and all it's problems so Yugi sluggishly climbs out of bed and goes to answer the door.

He's not sure what he was expecting on the other side but Akhenadin and two young people that resemble him but also resembled Atem weren't it.

He figured he'd seen enough of the guy to last one lifetime maybe two and he really isn’t happy to see him again and so soon.

"Can I help you?" Yugi asks with the barely there politeness he'd learned from having to work at his grandfather's game shop dealing with shitty customers and scoldings he endured about manners as a child from a very strict Japanese guardian and not at all with the genuine politeness he usually carries himself with.

"Yes. Is Atem here? I wanted to speak with him before I left. I'm dropping my kids off just like I told him I would."

Dropping his kids off?

This isn't a daycare or a hotel. What the fuck is he saying?

He doesn't want Atem upset or disappointed in him neither does he want to cause Atem any more stress or pain and he also doesn't want to go wake him up to ask what he should do either.

He was thinking of how to tell the guy to _'fuck off'_ in the nicest way possible when his eyes make contact with the pleading ones of the girl beside her father watching him and begging him not to say anything upsetting.

Eyes silently begging him to agree to this arrangement, whatever it is.

His instincts tell him to trust her. He doesn't know why but he'll follow his instincts for now and if she and her brother turn out to be a problem, he'd kick them out before Atem even wakes up to notice they were here.

Politely of course.

So he puts on his customer service voice and most apologetic smile when he says "I'm so sorry, Atem's asleep right now, he was so tired from uh....earlier and I don't think taking even a blow horn to his ears would wake him right now.Feel free to leave them though sir, I'll be sure to take good care of them until Atem wakes."

Akhenadin watches him with narrowed eyes as though he can see something he's missing if he does and Yugi tries his best not to fidget under such scrutiny until the man huffs and turns to lecture his kids before leaving Yugi with them.

 

He feels like someone who lies on their resume about being proficient in Excel and now their boss is standing around waiting for them to compose a data sheet to show them just how proficient they are when the pair lay expectant eyes on him.

"Hi! I'm Yugi, Atem's.... neighbor and friend." God he could groan. He really wanted to say his boyfriend then but he and Atem discussed no such things and despite what he might want and feel, he can't rush this.

"Mana and my brother Mahad, Atem's cousins. It's a pleasure to meet you Yugi. I've heard a lot about you!" The cheery girl chirps in introduction while her tall, statue of a brother simply nods his hello. His height is really one of legends from where Yugi is standing but that isn't what catches his attention. 

"Pleasure is mine. You said you've heard about me?" He asks very confused because how can she when he'd been told Atem no longer communicates with his family.

"Of course, he told me! Where's Atem, anyway? Is he really asleep or did he just not want to see dad?"

"He's asleep."

"Great!"

 

Then she's off and up the stairs and their's a smoke silhouette where her body once was.

"Mana!" Her brother yells after her and he's off as well in less steps but covering more distance and Yugi takes a minute to be extremely jealous of him and his long legs before he too is running with trice as many steps as the giant had taken.

"AGH!!" followed by retching and heaving is what he hears upon his immediate arrival to Atem's room where said room owner is the one retching and heaving at the side of his bed due to his cousin thinking it a great idea to dive into his drunk, sleeping form.

 

He's woken to quite a few terrible things in his life so far, one of them being a slap from Yugi but this, this dive, this cannonball to his stomach is immediately number one on the list. He should be thankful that he didn't eat anything so he has nothing to bring up because he didn't particularly want to add cleaning digested clumps of food to the list as well.

Yugi is on him in an instant, straddling his lap and running careful, gentle hands across his face to calm him and his erratic heartbeat enough for him to no longer hear it's hammering in his ears but instead the voices in the room. The gentle sound of Yugi's voice calming him and telling him that he's okay and that he's safe and the secondary voice of what he can now tell is Mahad giving Mana the scolding of her life while she apologizes profusely in a shaky voice that sounds on the verge of tears.

He gently squeezes Yugi's hand in silent thanks, not wanting to let go now that he knows he doesn't have to before turning to the other pair still talking in the room.

"You've always been such a crybaby Mana." He rasps and she jumps a bit and immediately scoots over to him with tears in her eyes to entrap him in a suffocating semi hug thing.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't know you had drank or else I wouldn't have jumped on you like that. I'm sorry Atem!!! I didn't think dad would've gotten to you like that, I thought Yugi would've been with you and I thought you were up here pretending to be asleep or something!"

"Heh, it's fine Mana. I'm fine. And Yugi is here, see? He's right here taking care of me."

 

Heat floods his fair cheeks at that.

 

"Promise?" She asked with a wobbly voice and bright teary eyes and so adorable.

"Promise"

"Great!" And just like that her mood changed. Astounding really. "I guess our plan worked a little too well huh. I'm sorry for what dad said to you. Whatever he said couldn't have been nice."

"When is he ever nice? It's fine really Mana. The plan worked didn't it?"

 

Yugi feels as though he'd gotten whiplash. From Mana's quick changing moods to their talk about a plan.

 

What plan?

 

Maybe it wasn't his place but he really wants to know because he works for Seto Kaiba and he'd like to think that he's not a complete moron and whatever plan they're discussing seems to be in relation to Akhenadin's appearance and by extension, Atem's stress.

"A-Atem?"

"Mn?"

"I heard you mention a plan, would it.... would it be too much-"

"Yugi. You don't need to be nervous about asking me this. Of course I'll tell you. I meant to tell you anyway but things never go the way I want it to it seems." He sighs and runs a hand over his face, sounding just as tired and stressed as Yugi has no doubt he feels.

He wants to tell him to take his time and tell him whenever he's able to but he really wants to know about said plan and if things are expected to get worse for his Atem.

He needs to know so he can plan accordingly and be there for his precious person so that he doesn't have to find him in such a state ever again.

"Mana and I reconnected when was it, two weeks ago? Anyway, the day I left. I'd booked a room at a motel which turned out to be an outhouse with a bed and a kitchen and ended up ditching it to sleep in my car. My day had already been crazy after I literally ran away from you and then to end it on that note... let's just say I was a little frustrated. I was frustrated and I needed someone to talk to. You're my someone to talk to."

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Yugi pleaded, holding Atem's face in his hands.

"What are you sorry for? I ran away from you. Logically, you had no reason to call. I hurt you. I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine. It's forgiven."

"Kiss me?" Atem asks, eyes big and vulnerable and really, how could he not?

His answer is a request fulfilled.

 

They'd both completely forgotten about their audience until Mana saddles up to encase them in a hug that has them bumping foreheads. Her grin sly and knowing.

Yugi is mortified. He wants to make a run for it and never return. He's never lost himself like that, never done anything like that. He's appalled and embarrassed while Atem looks annoyed at being interrupted.

"You can't just make out in front of your little cousin like that. That's absurd! Have some shame!" She says with a playful wink.

"My little cousin could have left."

"Ughhhh. Just tell the story. I'm making my appearance soon!"

"Vein. Anyway, I needed someone to talk to and I knew I had no right calling you after what I did so I took a gamble. I knew it was late but I figured she'd be the only person who'd care even a little to hear me out, no offense Mahad. I know you care too but uncle had a stronger hold on you. I called Mana, and she told me she was tired and that she couldn't speak to me right now because she needed sleep. I was so disappointed and lost and well, you know what I do when that happens."

"But then after I'd gotten sufficient rest, I'd called my lovely cousin back to apologize while having my amazing brother here distract father so that he wouldn't know I was speaking to Atem. He was so surprised. You know, hearing you sound like that, that really hurt me." Mana said, eyes downcast, "I love my dad, I do, but when I realized what he'd done to you, just how terribly you'd been suffering here all on your own, I couldn't sit back and do nothing. I'd found the will that Atem's parents had left behind a while now, I just didn't know what to do with it. I always thought it was strange that aunty and uncle owned the majority share of the family company yet dad was solely running it."

"My parents owned sixty six percent of the company and uncle owned thirty four. In the will it states that they left that for me, along with the house, the cars and my trust fund. Dad crashed one of the cars, that idiot. The stupid lawyer gave the will to uncle because he's my legal guardian even though I was of age to receive it myself. I never questioned it much. I never really wanted to be an architect anyway and I had a house, a car and a decent amount of money to live on."

"So, what's the plan then?"

"My father died when I was eighteen. My uncle has been running this company for four years without giving me a dime. I want every last penny so that I can pay off this debt and not have to sell my home.

Uncle is in the process of handing the company over to Mana and Mahad. He's been teaching them the ropes a while now. So the plan is to get my money and force him retire early if I have to."

"Wow. That's... I wonder how he'll take that."

"He'll probably feel betrayed, but it's the right thing to do. We cannot sit back and let him take advantage of Atem like this and to want to throw him out of his parent's house. Despicable." Mahad says with barely concealed anger.

"Hey, thank you for this. I know how hard this must be for you. You looked up to him the most." Atem says, trying to calm his cousin and show him his gratitude.

 

It works because he gets a smile that's soft and looks absolutely genuine in return.

 

"Do you have a lawyer then?" Yugi asks.

"I'm really hoping he'd agree without having to get the law involved, it's such a lengthy and oppressive procedure but... no. We'll have to look into one."

"I want to help."

"You know a good lawyer?"

"No,”

Atem could practically pin point the second an idea pops into Yugi’s head. 

"No. I think I have something even better."

 

Atem has never seen such a devious expression on Yugi outside of a game before, eyes narrowed and mischievous, lips curling in a hint of smirk that hides secrets. Secrets Atem would trade his soul for. It makes him want to ravish him completely and not for the last time since waking does he wish his cousins would read the room and fucking leave.

Yugi’s on his lap, cheeks tinting and he laughs like he read his mind and finds Atem’s thoughts amusing.

Well that just won’t do now would it? 

He kisses him, deep and hot and Mana and Mahad’s outraged screams are nothing but background noise. Mood music if you will and he finds this is absolutely perfect. 


End file.
